How can a knock out change your life
by McGrey'sAnatomy
Summary: Meredith's clumsiness brought Derek into her life after a play in park and her 3 years old daughter helps her keep him! MerDer AU story!
1. Is he dead mommy?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy! This is just for fun and for making the summer to pass easier without our favorite tv show!**

**How can a knock out change your life? **

**This is how…**

**Chapter1**

The park was looking different in that evening; there was something special about it, but he couldn't figure out what.

The view! That was different.

He was leaving in Seattle for 3 days already and he had never seen the park so crowded and so painted like then. It wasn't looking grey and rainy anymore, like it would have been lifeless. The weather was warm, the sun had started to set down, painting the view with a slight orange color, and the noise was filling every space from that park; the noise of naughty kids and their parents.

There was a continue commotion around him; the kids were running away chased by a parent, by another kid or by a dog, the adults were yelling at them to stop, or to tell them to come home; dogs were dragging their masters after them impatiently to get rid of the energy they had accumulated during the day, while the masters were at work; young and old couples giving themselves one more unforgettable moment.

There were still many activities at that hour, even if it was around 7 o'clock. Everyone was enjoying as much as they could of that rare kind of day.

He looked carefully around him. Everyone was having someone to enjoy that evening with and just a few were walking around lonely. He was being one of those few people; he was being one of those that didn't get this kind of activities, he was being just a watcher. Although, he wanted to be part of their fun, but he didn't have with who, so… he was just watching at it.

A woman was playing with a little girl in a less populated area; probably mother and daughter. The little daughter was trying to teach her how to throw a flying disc and she was making fun of the woman's left-handedness.

Their game amused the man that was now sitting down on grass not very far away from them. He could hear them laughing and talking. The little girl called the woman, mommy and the woman called the girl, Sandy.

He turned his sight away from them for a moment to look over the place where two kids had started to fight. As he returned his attention to the previous game, a red spot appeared in front of him and the feeling of a hit in his forehead knocked him down.

"OMG! I am so sorry! Sir, are you alright?"

"Is he dead mommy?"

"No Sandy, he is not dead!" the female voice snapped at the little girl "Sir, please open your eyes!"

By the soft touch on his face and by the soft voice that was almost breathing into his face, the man opened his eyes. He saw the woman that he was watching for a while, kneeled and bent in front of him. The smiling face that she had showed earlier was now replaced with a worried one.

"Thank God you are awake! I am so, so sorry! How are you feeling?"

He returned in his sit position whining and placing a hand on forehead.

"It hurts, isn't it?" she asked him worried.

He looked up at her and tried to calm her down by smiling at her, "A little, but I'll be fine! Don't worry, it was just an accident"

She came even closer to him than she already was and took his hand away from forehead "It looks pretty bad! Are you sure, you are ok? How many fingers do you see?" and she showed him two fingers.

The man smiled amused at her "four" and in that second the woman showed more concern. At her new worried look the man started to laugh "two! I see two fingers! I was just joking"

She moved back a little "You can't joke with this kind of things! How can I know for sure that you were joking and that later you won't fall unconscious?"

The man started to stand up, immediately followed by her. He stood up and stayed straight leaning on a tree "I am doctor, so don't worry about me!"

The woman didn't let him go from her sight "I am a doctor too, so let me be worried. Where do you live?", and she took him by his arm to sustain him.

He gave her another smile hoping that this time he was more convincing "About 10 minutes far, so I will be home very soon"

"Well, I live about 2 minutes away from here, so come with me to clean the wound and if in the mean time nothing bad happens you can go home"

"_Why is she insisting? She really has not reason to be worried"_ and he took his arm away from her hand.

Now, for the first time, the woman stepped back in defense "Fine! Go! But for your information I am not a kidnapper, I just wanted to help you"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! Look, to see that I trust you, I'll come with you". But she was still looking at him offended, so he smiled at her to convince her that he is serious.

She seemed convinced then and she gave him her arm for support "I hope you won't call the police later and tell them that I hurt you"

The man laughed "But you did hurt me, remember?"

At his statement the woman laughed too and looked down at her daughter "Sandy, take your toys and let's go home"

All this time the girl looked carefully at that man, without saying a word.

Sandy ran back to their play area and took a pink ball; she then came back and picked up the accusatorial flying disc. She put them into a bag and took her mom's free hand and they started to walk. After a few steps Sandy let go her mommy's hand and ran in front of the man's, walking backwards.

"I'm Sandy!" and she gave him her little hand.

They stopped and the man took her hand and shook it gently "Nice to meet you Sandy! I'm Derek!"

Satisfied, Sandy returned to her mom's hand and they started to walk again.

The walk was silent and all the way he supported himself by the woman's arm. He didn't really need a support, but something made him want to stay close to her. She was having a tiny body, so he didn't let his entire weight on her.

As they got out of the park, they crossed the street and stopped in front of an apartment building. While the woman was searching for a key to open the main entrance, the man started to ask himself what exactly was he doing there; he knew very well that it wasn't necessary to go with her, but with all this he accompanied her. What her husband would say when he will see him walking inside by his wife's arm, so he took his arm away from her.

All three of them stepped in elevator and Sandy went fast to the button panel; with a finger in her mouth she looked at it, then at her mother for approval.

The woman smiled at her and nodded "Yes Sandy, you can press the button" and right away the little girl pressed the 10th floor. The elevator took them there, without any other stop.

The doors opened and revealed a cream painted hallway, well lighted and with a dark blue carpet. The doors were all the same, having the wood's color.

The little girl had started to run right after the elevator's doors opened and she stopped in front of a door "We leave here!" she told Derek.

The woman unlocked the door and motioned Derek to come in. Sandy was faster and got in before him. The entire apartment was in a complete dark, a sign that nobody else was home. It was already dark outside; just the light coming from hallway was revealing some spots from inside, same as the light that was coming from moon. As she came in too, the woman turned on the light.

Sandy dropped her toys down and ran to a room that seemed to be the bathroom. "Missy, I am expecting you to pick them up and place them where they belong"

"_Yes mommy!"_the girl yelled from inside.

"Come on in and sit down" she leaded Derek to living room and pointed the couch. "I'll be right back!" and she went to knock at the bathroom door.

"_I'm coming mommy!"_

"Wash your hands Sandy!"

"_Yes mommy"_

The water jet was heard and soon it stopped. Sandy came out and showed her hands to her mommy. The woman bent down to her and cupped her head placing a kiss on her forehead "You smell delicious"

Sandy giggled and ran to the place where she had dropped her toys earlier.

In the mean time, Derek was giving a look around him. It was looking like a clean house … a little messy, probably caused by the hurry of going faster to park, since a small pink bag pack was left on couch, a big bag, probably the mother's bag from work and two shirts on a chair; a small mauve one and a red large one.

The woman came out of bathroom with a sanitary kit in her hand and set down on the coffee table in front of Derek. She opened the kit and looked for something inside of it, but she stopped and looked at Derek "My name is Meredith!" she said smiling at him "In case you will want to denounce me later to the cops".

Derek laughed "Nice to meet you Meredith!"

"Nice to meet you too Derek!" she saw her daughter's back bag "Sandy, don't forget your back bag"

"_No mommy!"_ her voice came from a room.

Meredith put her gloves and took out everything she was necessary to clean Derek's wound "Excuse us for the mess, but we hurried to go out to play!" a little embarrassed.

"I imagined that this had to be the reason!"

She cleaned the wound from above his left eye with a cotton swab imbued with betadine holding his chin.

Meredith saw a grimace on Derek's face "It hurts?"

"It blisters a little, but it's fine"

"I'm sorry!" and she came closer to his face and blew to his wound to attenuate the pain.

She was standing so close to him in that moment, that Derek could feel her hair in his face and the scent of it.

Meredith stopped from blowing and looked at him smiling "Better?"

Derek smiled at her wide "Much better!"

"Good, now let me finish this!" and took a bandage to cover it.

"Won't your husband be mad to find me here?"

Meredith laughed as she stood up and picked up the kit "I am not married!" she left to take back the kit in bathroom, and Derek stayed there smiling.

"_She is not married! This is a relief; at least I don't have to be worried about a jealous husband who might show up and broke my face worst then Meredith has done already."_

His thoughts were interrupted by Sandy's presence.

"My mommy is clumsy! She doesn't know how to play" she gave him an honest smile and took her bag.

Derek laughed "It's fine! How old are you Sandy?"

Sandy was a communicative girl, so when Derek asked her about her age, she let down the back bag and climbed up on couch and made herself comfortable near Derek

"I am almost 4!" she says proud of her entity "Are you a doctor too? My mommy is also a doctor!"

Unfortunately for her the chat was about to end before it have started, because Meredith was coming out from bathroom and saw her daughter chatting and not doing what she asked her to do.

"What do you think you are doing here young lady? I suppose that this bag (as she picked it up) is not yours so I can take it and give it to another girl that needs it"

Sandy stood up and stepped in front of her mother with a puppy dog face and biting her lower lip "I'm sorry!"

Meredith smiled and shook her head. She never could castigate her when Sandy was giving her that look.

Sandy took the back bag from her mommy "Mommy, I'm hungry!"

"I'll make something for us to eat!"

Sandy looked at Derek smiling "Derek, do you want to stay for dinner?"

Derek looked at Meredith for her approval "You can stay if you want! I am not very good in kitchen, but the food is eatable"

"Are you sure I can stay? I don't want to bother you or someone else"

Sandy came in front of him "You don't bother us. Please stay!"

"Sure! There is no bother!" Meredith confirmed and Sandy clapped her hands with joy "Yay! Come with me to show you my room" and she grabbed his hand with both of her tiny palms.

"I'll be in kitchen!" and Meredith left them alone.

She opened the cabinet to take what needed for dinner, but she stopped and looked at Sandy and Derek as they were going in Sandy's room.

She was worried. She was worried because she should be worried, but she was not. Why isn't she worried? This man is a stranger and she brought him into her house. _"No, he is not a stranger; he is …Derek!", "But who is this guy…Derek?"_. She doesn't know anything about him, but he seems to be …a nice man and she did hurt him.

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind from all those thoughts. He was a nice guy and she was paranoiac._"You didn't bring strange people in your house since you have Sandy, but you did it before, so you shouldn't be worried"_

Derek took Sandy's bag and let himself leaded by the girl to her room. A very girly room, painted in at least three color tones of pink, a bed covered with sheets that pictures the story "The little mermaid", fluffy toys and dolls arranged between the story books in bookcase, posters with scenes also from "The little mermaid"

"I can see that you are a fan of 'The little mermaid'".

Sandy took her bag from Derek's hand and put it on her bed "I like Ariel! Do you like the story too?"

Derek laughed "It is a cute story, but not for a boy!".

He set down on the edge of her bed near the night stand. There were some photos of hers; one with her alone on a small bike smiling, another one with her and Meredith in front of a birthday cake, from her last birthday judging by the massage from it [IHappy birthday little mermaid[/I and a candle with number 3; there is another picture of Sandy with Meredith and three other ladies, and another one with Sandy, probably at age of 2 with a young couple.

He took the picture with Sandy and Meredith and looked at it. Now he noticed for the first time that the girl didn't look much like her mother. Sandy's eyes were brown and her hair medium brown, Meredith instead was having green-blue eyes and her hair was medium blonde. This means she looks a lot like her father; but looking around he didn't see any other man in those photos, besides the one with her and the couple.

"_Crap, crap, crap"_ and the sound of a slam was heard from kitchen.

Derek stood up and wanted to go there to see if everything is alright, but he saw Sandy slapping a palm over her forehead.

Derek looked worried at her "What happened?"

"We will eat pizza again at dinner! Mommy burned the dinner!"

Sandy's crying tone amused Derek and in the same time it melted him "Why don't we go in there and see if we can help" and he gave her his hand.

Sandy smiled and took his hand.

A lot of steams were coming out of the sink and Meredith was looking for something in the phonebook.

"I'm sorry, but we'll have pizza for dinner! I am really sorry Derek! What kind do you want me to order?"

Derek let Sandy's hand and went to kitchen smiling. He saw in sink a burned pan and the steam around it.

"May I?" he asked her pointing to the fridge.

Meredith motioned him "Sure!"

He opened the fridge and: Surprise!… the fridge was stocked with everything that it is needed for a dinner. Why did she want to buy pizza?

Meredith saw his confused look and laughed a little embarrassed "I can make only pastas and I am out of pastas"

Derek looked at her curiously;_ then why does she stock the fridge if she can't use all this to cook them?_

Meredith read his minds again "A friend of mine comes and cooks for us, but today she didn't have time"

Derek started to laugh too "I see now! But I can make something if you want!"

"Oh no, no! you are … our guest, we can't let you cook!"

Sandy came to her mommy's legs and grabbed them "Mommy I am hungry and I want food!"

"I really don't mind to cook. I can prepare something fast and more nutritive than a pizza!"

The dinner was indeed ready in less than 30 minutes. During its preparation Meredith helped him with the vegetables, then she moved in living room to clean around of it and Sandy was playing in her room.

When the dinner was ready all three of them set down on table and ate in silence.

"I can wash the dishes !" Derek said as him and Meredith got up from table.

"No, I'll do it later! You cooked, so I can't let you wash the dishes too; this wouldn't be nice of me… so don't worry about them"

Sandy came back in kitchen with a book in her hands "Derek, do you want to read me my bedtime story?"

Derek kneeled in front of her smiling "I'd love to"

"Sandy, you must take a bath before getting in bed and I don't think that Derek has time to wait for you; plus we have to brush your hair and you have a long hair sweetie"

Sandy gave her mother a glare and looked back at Derek and took her puppy dog face.

Derek was already in love with that little girl, so he looked up at Meredith "I can wait; while you give her the bath, I can clean the kitchen! But if you mind, I can go!"

"Please mommy!" Sandy begged her.

Meredith looked at each of them serious and then again, but this time smiling "Fine!"

Sandy hugged Meredith's waist "Thank you mommy!" and then she hugged Derek "Thank you Derek! I finish fast the bath!" and she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Come on mommy, hurry up!" she yelled running to her room.

Meredith looked down at Derek "You know… you can try to say 'no' to her; she doesn't have to receive an 'yes' for everything that she asks"

Derek stood up smiling "Do you ever can say 'no' to her?"

Meredith laughed "No!" and she followed her daughter to bedroom.

"I thought so too!"

Meredith and Sandy were in bathroom and a lot of giggles and water splashes were heard coming from in there. Derek was smiling just hearing them. They did have the same giggle.

Derek had just finished the last dish when the doorbell rang. He got a little nervous, thinking that it might be Sandy's father; it was 10.35; it was late, but hey, he was having the right to come at any hour to see them; maybe he wants to say 'Good night' to Sandy.

After the second ring, he looked confused, not knowing what to do. He went and knocked at the bathroom's door.

"Meredith, there is someone at door"

"_Open for me please and tell that person that I'll right out!"_

"Are you sure?"

"_Yes, go and answer the door!" _

Derek headed to door; he took a deep breath and opened it. He stayed with the look blocked at the lady that was at door.

The relief that there was no man at door produced the shock.

In front of the door was standing a tall redhead woman; she also was looking shocked at him.

She first looked at the door number … but it was the known one… then she looked back at Derek … but who was that men. She had never seen him before and she did know all the men from Meredith's life.

"Umm… is …Meredith here?"

Derek opened the door wide and made her room to step in "She is bathroom with Sandy"

The redhead walked in still very confused; now she was sure that that was Meredith's apartment, but what was he doing in it at this hour?

Derek closed the door and followed her in living room "She said she will be out soon" he wanted to assure her.

"oh… ok!" she set down on couch, but she stood up fast and looked at him "I don't want to seem rude, but … who are you?"

Derek smiled and gave her the hand for shake "I'm Derek! … I met them in park earlier"

The redhead smiled and shook his hand "I'm Addison! Meredith's friend"; then she almost laughed to herself _ "This is something new on Meredith; to pick up a guy in park"_

In that moment Meredith and Sandy were coming out of bathroom; Meredith was all wet, Sandy was already dressed in her pink pajamas with a small pink robe over it, and a towel wrapped on her head.

"Hi Addison!" Meredith greeted her and Sandy ran to her arms "Addison!!"

Addison bent down and picked her up "Hey little mermaid!".

They made an exchange of kisses and then Addison put her down.

Sandy ran to Derek and took him by hand "Come on Derek!"

Meredith stopped her "Sandy, I have to brush your hair first!", so Sandy let go to Derek's hand and sighed "Ok, but lets hurry!" and Sandy ran to her room and came out fast bringing with her the brush.

She first handed it to Meredith, but when Meredith was about to take it, Sandy changed her mind and handed it to Derek.

"Sandy, this is not nice, to ask a stranger to brush your hair" Meredith tried to take the brush from her hand, but Sandy opposed "He is not a stranger; he is Derek"

Meredith got a little angry of her attitude "You can't call him on his first name; he is much older then you and you should show more respect"

At this point Sandy was keeping the brush with both hands under her bent tummy and Meredith was bent over her trying to take the brush from her with force.

Derek was feeling a little embarrassed for being the cause of the fight between mother and daughter.

Addison on the other hand was looking at those two very amused and shaking her head, like a sign that this wasn't something unusual for them.

Derek wanted to do something to stop them, but he didn't know what. He kneeled at Sandy's level and looked at them "I can brush her hair, if you don't mind! I told you I don't live far, so I can stay longer". At this, Meredith straight up, but she didn't let go Sandy's arm. Sandy got a grin on her face, also without letting go the brush from her hands, and she looked up at her mommy, then at Derek.

"And I don't mind if she calls me Derek" he looked up at Meredith, then at Sandy "I want her to call me Derek"

Addison was so curious to find out about Derek and about their meeting that she took Derek and Sandy's side "Come on Meredith! Let him brush her hair!"

Meredith looked at all three of them, then let Sandy's arm. She surrendered again in front of her daughter "Ok"

In the second that Meredith said "ok" Sandy jumped straight on Derek's neck, wrapping her little arms around it. Derek laughed and picked her up in his arms to take her to her room.

Meredith wanted to follow them, but Addison's hand stopped her "Where do you think you are going?" and Meredith glared her "Oh no, no; you have no right to glare me; I should be the one who glares you! Stay here and tell me the story"

"What story?"

Addison raised her eyebrow suggestively and motioned with her head to Sandy's room.

Meredith looked back at her room and to make sure that he won't hear her she took Addison in kitchen. Addison set down on table and Meredith leaned with the back on sink so that she can see if anyone comes in.

She started to tell Addison the entire story, and Addison was almost under the table laughing. "OMG Meredith!!! This is the most original way of pick up guy I have ever heard."

"It was an accident! I didn't go there to pick up men! I brought him just to clean up his wound and to make sure he is ok; you should know how bad this kind of contusion can be, you are a doctor too"

"And what is he still doing here at this hour?"

"Sandy invited him to stay over for dinner…." And Addison had started to laugh "What? You actually had the gut to cook for this guy? And he is still alive?"

Meredith gave her a glare and looked down ashamed. Seeing her like this, Addison stood up and started to laugh even harder "Don't tell me you let him starve"

Meredith continued to look down and she shook her head "I burned it, and he offered himself to cook for us"

Addison clapped her hand with excitement "This is just brilliant Meredith! I can wait to tell Christina; she will be sooo proud of you when she will find out"

"Stop it Addison! What are YOU doing here at this hour?"

Addison rolled her eyes "Izzie has another sexual crisis and she tries to supply again the missing sex with baking; I couldn't longer stay in that heat! But do not change the subject, lets get back to your …Derek! Do you know if he is married or committed?"

"I don't know! I didn't check and I am not interested either to check!"

"You are not interested?! Are you crazy? How can you not be interested with a man like this? He cooked you the dinner, now he offered to brush Sandy's hair!"

"Sandy begged him to do it and you know how can't anyone say 'no' to her! I think she is in love with him"

"Just she? I am in love with him too! I mean… did you see his smile? OMG, I had an orgasm just looking it!"

"Addison!!!" Meredith yelled at her laughing and shaking her head.

"What? Don't tell me that his smile didn't have any effect on you!"

"You know what? I have to go and see what they are doing!" and she left the kitchen followed by Addison.

They walked to Sandy's bedroom and Addison continued, in a lower tone this time, her chat about Derek "He has a familiar face… I think I saw him somewhere before! What's his last name?" and Meredith answered her with a shrug.

Addison stopped from their track and faced her "Do you mean you don't even know his last name?"

"I didn't ask" she said in her defense.

"Wow! This is not you! Meredith that I know doesn't bring strangers in her house! I think you like him as much as your daughter, but you don't want to admit it!"

Meredith turned around and started to walk again "Whatever!"

As the both women went in Sandy's room, they saw Derek laying in bed next to Sandy, with his back leaned on the bed's headboard and holding a book in his hand. Sandy was keeping her head on his shoulder and she was listening to his story.

"_The bunny had finally found himself a family. They made themselves a little house on the stubble field by that beautiful lake"_ and Derek shut the book and looked at Sandy "Did you like it?"

Sandy gave him a grin and nodded "Can you tell me another story?"

Meredith set down on bed at their feet "It's late sweetie and you have to sleep"

"Your mom is right! It's is late and you should go to sleep" Derek told her as he kissed her forehead and stood up from bed to make room for Meredith to come to Sandy.

He placed the book on night stand and looked at them.

Meredith moved to her daughter and picked up the blanket so that Sandy can make herself comfortable under it. She tucked her in and then she stood up so that Addison can come and give her the good night kiss.

Addison bent down and Sandy wrapped her arms around Addison's neck. Addison gave her a kiss on cheek "Good night Sandy!" and Sandy kissed her cheek too "Good night Addie!" and Sandy turned Addison's other cheek and kissed it "This is for Izzie!"

Addison kissed her again "I'll send her your kiss".

Then Meredith returned to her bed and kissed her both cheeks "Sleep well sweetie!"

Sandy kissed Meredith back "Good night mommy! I love you!"

"I love you too!" and after she placed on more kiss on Sandy's forehead, Meredith stood up.

They went outside the bedroom and Meredith turned off the light and closed the door.

Addison had headed straight to exit after she left Sandy's room "I am going back to make sure that Izzie didn't burned the apartment! I'll see you tomorrow Meredith!" and Addison winked at her while she was getting out the door.

Meredith went to escort her out "Good night Addison!" and closed the door.

She hesitated a little before she retured to living room, knowing that she is now alone with Derek. Derek was taking his jacket from the couch he had placed it when he came in, when Meredith stepped in.

"It's time for me to go too!" Derek said smiling.

Meredith was standing a few steps away in front of him "yeah… it is late…thank you for what you did for Sandy and for dinner …and I'm sorry for the hit!" she had started to rumble the words.

"It was my pleasure! You have a wonderful daughter!"

"Thank you!"

"And don't worry for that hit; I'm fine …see? I didn't faint or anything, so I'll be fine, don't worry"

Now Derek was supposed to head to door and Meredith to lead him, but none of them was daring to make a single step. Both of them were feeling weird because of that awkward silence.

"I'll go!" Derek finally said and he was starting to walk slowly.

Meredith reacted too "Yeah…right!", and she started to lead him to door; she opened it for him and Derek went out. He turned around and smiled "Good night Meredith!"

"Good night Derek!" and the door closed that separated them.

Both of them stood in front of the closed door for a few more seconds. They both wanted to hear something more… _"I hope I'll see some other time"_

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**I have just started to write on this, so let me know if I should continue with it! The reviews are appreciated!!!!**

**I apologize for an eventual spelling mistake, but English is not my native language and I am trying to write it the best way that I can!**

**I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! If you did, then in about two weeks I'll come up with the next one!**

13


	2. Wish you were here

**Thank you for the reviews! This chapter is short, but the next one is ready and it is much longer. I hope that you will enjoy this one too! It doesn't have MerDer scenes, but starting the next chapter there will be only MerDer scenes.**

**----------------------------------------**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 2 –Wish you were here**

Derek stepped in into the apartment. The lights were turned on and the shower could have been heard, letting him know that his roommate was home. The keys that he used to unlock the door had been thrown on the coffee table and Derek went lazy to kitchen and grabbed a beer from fridge; he then returned to living room making himself comfortable on couch. It was the second day that he returned home disappointed.

The shower stopped and the bathroom door opened. Derek did not hear that; he only heard his thoughts and questions. _"Will we ever meet again?"_ was one of his questions.

"Earth to Derek! Anyone there?" a pair of fingers had started to clap in front of his eyes. Derek returned from his daze and looked at the owner of those fingers.

"Hey Mark!" was his banal salutation.

Mark went and took himself a beer; then he returned to Derek and set down next to him. He looked at him and saw again that look on his face. The depressed and bored look that he had had it the day before too.

"No luck today either?" he asked Derek taking the first sip from his beer. At his question, Derek just shook his head.

"Man, that mommy must have put a spell on you! This is the second day that you are spending the time in that park"

Mark's tone was an amused one, but it didn't amuse Derek too.

"Leave me alone Mark!"

"Come on man, there are millions of beautiful women in this town, so you don't have to grieve for one, especially considering that she is already mom. I don't understand why did you fell for one with complications; this kind of woman has a history and her history includes a man. You don't need complications, have fun Derek!"

"If I want fun or sex I can find myself a whore, but I want a family Mark; you know…with wife and kids!"

"You can find a wife very easy Derek, and if you want a woman with baggage, then let me inform you that there are many single moms that pray everyday for a man like you to show up in their life." he saw Derek standing up "One more thing Derek, the reason that you came in Seattle for, doesn't match too good with your wishes!"

Derek had stood up nervous by Mark's prelection. He was nervous because he knew that Mark was right, but he didn't want admit it. He had already met Meredith, and he wasn't thinking of her because she was having a kid; something else, not just her girl, attracted him on her.

He put the beer down on table and looked one last time at Mark "The reason that I am here for can match with my wishes!"

Mark laid back on couch "If you say so! The Chief expects you tomorrow early in the morning!"

Derek was walking to his room, when Mark spoke up again "You know where she lives, you know she is not married, go to her! You have nothing to lose, if you try!"

Derek didn't stop to listen him, but he did hear him.

"_At least tomorrow I'll start the work, so I won't have too much time to think on her"_ and he laid down on his bed and stared at ceiling. _"To give it a try and visit her?" "No, Mark is right; she has a history … a history with another man"_.

The room was becoming darker with each minute that was going by. He looked at the alarm clock; the red flashing lights were indicating 7.15 p.m.

Without to think too much he jumped out of the bed and stormed out the room. Mark was no longer in living room. Derek took his jacket and got out of the apartment.

Once he got in his car, he started to drive. He drove along a boulevard, passing near by the Central Library, by some fancy stores and restaurants, by that park; he was driving to her. He wasn't having a reason to justify his visit when he will get there, but he continued to drive.

In the other apartment everyone was having an activity, boring or interesting. Meredith was searching through her wardrobe while Addison was laying lazy on couch in front of the tv, with the legs extended on the coffee table and buttoning the remote control. Around her, on couch this time there were more clothes thrown on it; some were of Sandy's, some of Meredith's.

Sandy had been placed in her bum on the buffet and she tasted with her finger from all the bowels with cream that were around her. Each time she was caught by the young female that was with her in kitchen, Sandy was giggling and pretending that she didn't do anything.

"Izzie, can I have the first muffin when they are ready?"

"_No missy, you can't. We have to have the dinner first"_ her mother answered her, when she heard what Sandy had asked.

In the same time Meredith was coming in living room holding two dresses in her hands.

"Which one? The dark blue one or the black one?" she asked Addison showing her the two dresses.

"Hmm… the black one. This thing with Nick is getting serious, isn't it?"

"I thought so too" and threw the dark blue one on couch. "I don't know; I hope so!"

"What do you mean you don't know? You are dating him for 3 months already and he seems to love you and Sandy"

"Exactly, he seems! Which is not enough for me; I need to know for sure that he loves us!"

"_I am sure that he has serious thoughts with you! And Sandy likes him, don't you Sandy?"_ Izzie's voice was heard from kitchen.

"_uh huh"_ was Sandy's confirmation.

"You are not a mother Izz, so let me not to be sure! What are you two doing in there?"

"_Muffins"_ they answered in unison.

Addison smiled suggestively at Meredith like she knew what this mean, and Meredith shook her head smiling.

"Missy, I hope I won't find your face dirty!" and she left to kitchen followed by Addison.

When they got in there they found Izzie holding Sandy over the sink and washing her face.

"Izzie!" she yelled at her "God Izzie I thought you have more brain then a 3 years old kid!"

"I am almost 4, mommy!" Sandy protested offended by her mother's remark.

"I am sorry Mer! But she was sticking her fingers in them when I wasn't paying attention"

"But I bet that you continued to let her stay near the bowels!"

Izzie looked at her guilty and she didn't dare to say anything more.

"Come on Sandy we have to get you ready and we don't have too much time" and she took Sandy from Izzie.

"I can dress Sandy!" Addison offered to help. "What hour is Nick picking you up?"

"At 7.30, so you would do me a big favor if you get her ready"

"Sure"

"I am ready mommy!" Later, Sandy yelled at her mother's door.

"_Ok, sweetie! I am almost ready too, so wait for me in living room!"_

"Ok mommy! Let's go Addie!" Sandy took Addison's hand and went to living room.

"_Stay far away from kitchen Sandy!"_

"Yes mommy!"

"Don't worry Meredith, I'll keep and eye on her!"

"_Thank you Addie!"_

When they returned to living room, Addison returned to her previous position on couch where Izzie was already sitting on and Sandy kneeled down in front of the coffee table at Addison's feet and started to look around all the things that were on it and that were belonging to her; blank papers, crayons, coloring books.

"I'm ready, lets go Sandy!" Meredith came out soon from her bedroom. She was wearing the black dress that Addison had advised her to put on. It was a strapless dress that was ending flaring right above her knees. Her hair had been left free over her shoulders and the face had been covered with a discreet make up.

Sandy stood up, ran right to her mother, and hugged her legs happy.

Meredith kneeled and looked at her "You are so cute!" she complimented her daughter smiling and neat her two tails that were clipped on with two blue barrettes and that were matching with her blue flowered dress.

Sandy giggled and made a very cute reverence. Meredith kissed her forehead and stood up.

"You look cute too mommy!" and Meredith giggled and made a reverence. She put Sandy the jacket and then she took hers and headed to door.

"Please Izzie, clean up the kitchen after you finish!"

"And leave me some cup cakes!" The two of them said as a last request before going out the door.

Izzie and Addison walked them to door.

"You know you don't have to worry about this Meredith!" Izzie assured her.

"Have fun guys!" Addison wished them.

There he was. Derek parked the car in front of her building. He took a moment to try to clear his head and to think on what he will tell her.

Suddenly his breath stopped.

She was coming out of the building, holding Sandy's hand. They went straight to a man that was waiting for them near a car. When he saw them coming out, the man went to greet them and he first took Meredith by her waist and gave her a kiss on cheek, then he bent down and kissed Sandy.

Meredith and Sandy were looking happy to see that man and both of them kissed him back.

Derek watched as the man was inviting them in his car. He first opened the door from the back sits for Sandy and helped her to get in, then he opened the door for Meredith in front and offered her the hand.

That must have been the man from Meredith's history, Sandy's father or her boyfriend.

There was no chance for him, so he left from there, but he didn't drive back home.

"A double whisky, please!"

Derek was sitting down on bar, drinking his disappointment. He lost Meredith.

Ok, 'lost' is not the right word for what happened. He never had Meredith, so he couldn't have lost something that didn't belong to him.

As a grown-up, Derek never felt the absence of a family, because his job was keeping him busy and it was giving him too many satisfactions, so he never had time to feel it. But this changed when he came to Seattle. The long procedure for finalizing his new work contract, gave him too much free time and the walk through park and then the evening that he had spent with Meredith and Sandy, made him realize that his life was incomplete. Something was missing. A family was missing.

"Would you like to buy me a drink?"

Derek looked over to the woman that had set down next to him. She was a redhead with curled hair and green eyes. She was pretty, but in the same time, she was looking vulgar too.

"Sure! Give this lady a drink!" he told the barman.

"Two shots of tequila!" she requested.

The barman poured her the shots and she drank both of them one after another.

All this time, Derek continued to stare at her and at her gestures. Her gestures were vulgar too.

"Can I have one more?"

Derek motioned the barman to give her on more. Another shot of tequila went straight though her throat. Then she looked at Derek smiling and saw his depressed look "Bad day?" she asked him.

Derek took a sip from his drink and nodded.

"I'm Becca!" she extended her hand him.

Derek just took it and shook it, without saying anything.

After a few moments of silence, while Derek had returned his look away from Becca and came back to his thoughts, she was determined to involve him in a talk "Ok, mysterious man! Do you want me to help you feel better?"

At her offer, Derek looked at her again. He needed fun in that moment, so he paid for their drinks and walked Becca to his car.

"I can't believe that you could do something like this Meredith!"

"I don't understand why you are so angry on me for this Nick? Sandy is my daughter and I have the right to do what I believe that is the best for her."

Nick took Meredith and Sandy to a very fancy restaurant. He was one of the best lawyers in town, so he was affording it.

They met at hospital when Nick got admitted after a car accident and Meredith was one of his the doctors. He had started to chase Meredith, insisting to go out with him. In an end she accepted and later he met Sandy too.

Nick let the impression that he has deep feelings for Meredith and he was very nice with Sandy. He started to visit them more often in the last month and to show more interest on them.

Sandy didn't like him right away because he was never willing to play with her when he was coming in visit and because he never liked to go with her and her mommy to park, but lately she seemed to accept him more and more, only because he started to buy her expensive gifts.

During the dinner, Meredith and Nick started to have a disagreement upon a subject and both of them were getting more and more nervous.

"I can't believe that you didn't trust in me and you went to see another lawyer"

"No Nick, you are not hurt because I went to another lawyer, you are mad because I didn't listen you!"

"You continue to say how much you love your daughter and how you want the best for her, but blocking her money was not the one of the smartest moves. What if she will need them in one of the coming years?"

"I earn enough to support her; I can afford to give her everything that she needs and in case of an emergency, let me tell you that I am not that stupid. I have started to make savings for her; for her health and for her school. Those money are blocked until she will turn eighteen"

"Giving that amount of money to a teenager it won't be the best thing for her. Imagine how she will react when she will find out about how rich she is"

"You know what? Let me worry about that! I see now what really interests you!" she took the purse and took out a bill "I can afford to pay me and my daughter a dinner to an expensive restaurant." She stood up and gave her daughter the hand "Lets go Sandy!"

Sandy got off the chair and took her mother's hand. All the time that the grown-ups were arguing, she stood there quiet and ate from her food.

Getting out of the restaurant, Meredith realized that Nick drove them there and that she needs a ride home. She asked the parking boy to stop for her a cab and once he did it, they got in it and left home.

During the ride Sandy got on her mother's lap and rested her head on her chest. She could see that her mother was very sad, so he tried to comfort her the best way that she could.

"I don't like Nick anymore mommy!"

Meredith looked down on her daughter and smiled brushing her tails "Me neither!"

The ride home was quiet and sad. When Meredith unlocked the door of her apartment and turned on the light, they found an impeccable clean. Izzie had cleaned even the living room.

"Can I have a muffin mommy?" Sandy asked her mother hesitant, like she wouldn't have wanted to upset her more.

Meredith smiled at her and nodded "But just one, then we are getting ready for sleep!"

Sandy smiled back at her and ran to kitchen "Thank you mommy!"

Meredith followed her and took a muffin from the basket that Izzie had deposited them in. Sandy took it and set down on table, while Meredith took out from the refrigerator the milk and poured it in two glasses, placing one of them in front of Sandy's. Sandy took it thanking to her mother and drank from it.

Meredith also took a muffin and joined her daughter. She watched her daughter taking small bits from her muffin and taking sips from her milk. When Sandy saw her mother looking at her, she gave her a cute smile and returned her look to her snack.

Watching her Meredith knew that she did the right thing for her and that no man is worth to ruin her daughter's future for.

Derek pulled on his boxers and went over to pick up his pants. He took out of them his wallet and opened it.

"How much do I owe you?"

Becca looked up at him and smiled suggestively "If you give me your phone number and we'll repeat it, then this time is on me!"

"How much do I owe you?" Derek repeated her.

"$100 darling"

Derek took out a bill and gave it to her; he then set down on bed with the head on his hands and waited for Becca to get dress.

After she got dressed, Becca looked for something in her purse.

"Call me!" she said giving him a card. Derek took it and then he walked her out.

He looked at the card from his hand and laughed sarcastically "The whores have cards" he crumpled it and threw it on trash.

He didn't have fun and he wasn't better either, like he had thought it would be.

The last thing he did that night before going to bed was to take a good bath. He washed every inch of his body, hoping that this way he will clean the inside too. He needed a clean mind to make him forget about everything that he had lived so far in Seattle.

Her room was drowned in darkness and she was laying in bed, watching with teary eyes the sky's tearing. Her tears were rolling down her face, as the raindrops were rolling down her window.

Again, for the same reason, a man let her down. She was very happy with that little girl, but she also wanted a man in her life. A man to love her and to love Sandy too.

Even if Sandy's situation was making harder for this wish of hers to become reality, she never blamed her and she never regretted that she has Sandy.

She heard the door opening and some footsteps approaching to her bed slowly.

"Are you sleeping mommy?" Sandy's whisper came from the other side of the bed.

Meredith rolled over to there. She saw Sandy standing right near her bed, watching her with sleepy eyes; her long messy hair had invaded her face. Meredith lifted up the blanket and made room for her to get in bed.

Sandy laid down next to Meredith and looked at her smoothing with her tiny hand her mom's face "Are you crying mommy?"

"I'm a little sad"

"Because of me?" Sandy asked her with a sad tone, as if she was about to cry too. Her daughter's concern melt Meredith and kissed her forehead "Of course not! Only you can make me happy"

Sandy snuggled in her arms "I love you mommy"

"I love you too sweetie!" and she held her tight to her body.

"Will we see Derek again?" Sandy asked whispering from Meredith's chest.

"I don't know! Maybe we will…one day"

"I wish he would have been here now to tell us a story!"

Meredith smiled and kissed her head "I know!"

Derek wasn't present in her mind as much as she was in his, but she did like him too. He seemed to be different from the others men that she had met before. Even if he was just a stranger, he showed more affection to Sandy then the others. "Maybe we'll go to park tomorrow and we'll see him again"

"I can't wait!" and soon after Sandy said that she fell asleep with her face buried in Meredith.

- - - -

**Please leave me your impressions!**

9


	3. Is Sandy a little Cupidon?

**First of all I would like to thank you all for your reviews. I am very happy to see that this fic is well received. I hope I won't let you down with this one!**

**Secondly, this is a very long chapter so I really hope that you will enjoy it.**

**Now as a disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, someone else does. I just own Sandy, their apartment and the park ******

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 3- Is Sandy a little Cupidon?**

Their apartment was well lighted and filled with a loud sound of cartoons at that early hour; Sandy was standing on couch in front of the TV very caught up in the race between Jerry and Tom and her mother was getting ready for work in her room.

When she heard a knock on door Sandy got off the couch and ran to it "Can I answer the door mommy?"

"_Yes, but ask first who is it"_ Meredith yelled from her bedroom.

Sandy stack her ear to door right away, "Who is it?"

"_It's Addison!"_

"It's Addie mommy!"

"_Tell her to use her key"_ Meredith yelled again.

"Use your key Addie"

Immediately the key was heard in the door's latch and the door opened.

"Hi Addie!" Sandy jumped in her arms once that Addison had come in.

"Morning little mermaid! Are you ready to go?"

Sandy nodded and then she was left down from Addison's arms.

"Did you have fun with Nick last night?"

Addison asked her as they were going to living room.

Sandy got a sad face and shook her head "He made mommy to cry"

In that moment, Meredith was coming out of her room "Hey Addison! Why did you knock? You know you can use the key!"

"I thought that Nick might be here and I didn't want to burst in and disturb, but Sandy told me that you didn't have such a great time with him last night! What happened?"

Meredith sighed and picked up her jacket and purse from couch and turned off the TV, "The same old story"

"I suppose that he wasn't too happy that you blocked Sandy's money!"

"Exactly! Since he found out about her money, his main concern became how I administer them and how to try to convince me to transfer them under my name"

"I'm sorry Meredith!"

"Yeah… me too, but it's better that I found out in an end what his plans are! Let's go now! Sandy take your back bag!"

Sandy took her back bag and Addison helped her to put it on her shoulders.

"Where is Izzie?" Meredith asked Addison as they were going out of the apartment.

"She doesn't have to come to hospital until noon"

Meredith smirked at her "This means that she will bring food!"

Addison laughed and nodded "Of course"

-----

Mark's car had been parked in the hospital's parking lot. While Mark was searching desperately for something inside of it, Derek got out. His attention was caught up by the sun's rise over the hospital. Today is his first day as doctor at Seattle Grace Hospital, and a new start for him in Seattle. He let out a sight and started to study the surroundings; another parking spot got his attention.

Mark got out of the car and didn't see Derek's gaze "Let's go!" he told him. But he noticed that Derek didn't move. "Hey, wake up man!"

Derek's gazed broke "That's …Meredith" he said with shock in his voice and without taking his eyes from the spot that got his eyes.

His look had stopped when he saw Meredith getting out of a car with Addison and Sandy.

Mark looked into the direction that Derek was refusing to take his eyes from and when he saw who Derek was referring to he started to laugh, "Don't tell me that Meredith is your mommy?"

Derek turned his look at Mark confused "Do you know her?"

"If I know her?! That's Meredith Grey, one of our neurosurgeons and … your new coworker!"

Derek looked back at her shocked. He wasn't over her after the previous night, and now he was forced to see her everyday.

"Why didn't you tell me that her name is Meredith, I would have helped you faster?"

"It doesn't matter anymore because I know she sees someone!"

"Oh… I didn't know! We are not quite friends!"

While Derek and Mark were looking and talking about her, Meredith was helping Sandy to get out of the car.

Meredith had just put Sandy the bag on her shoulders when Sandy yelled "Mommy, there is Derek!" and she ran right away to him.

Meredith and Addison looked shocked at each other and then at Derek, who was standing not very far from their car.

"What is he doing with Mark?" Addison asked looking at them, but her question remained without an answer, because Meredith was dazed by Derek's presence.

"You might get over Nick faster then you would have thought!" and saying that Addison stopped realizing that Meredith wasn't able anymore to make a conversation.

"OMG! He is Derek Shepherd, Meredith!" Addison burst looking at Meredith.

For the first time since she saw Derek, Meredith took her look away from him and looked at Addison "The neurosurgeon?"

"Yeah! Now I know why he looked familiar! I saw him in a medical magazine"

"What is he doing in Seattle?" And Meredith looked back at him.

"I don't know, but maybe you'll have the luck and he will work with you! Goodbye Nick! Welcome Derek!" she said laughing.

"Shut up Addison! I am going to take my daughter!" Meredith left quickly not to let Addison to comment more.

After she ran from her mother, Sandy went straight to Derek's arms, which bent down and picked her up. He was shocked to see them there, but he was also very happy.

"Hey Sandy!"

Sandy wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him smiling "I've missed you Derek!" and she gave him kiss on cheek.

Her sweetness melted Derek deeply; unfortunately for him he was already madly in love with the little girl and this was going to make his existence at Seattle Grace even harder.

He hugged her tight and kissed her back "I've missed you too Sandy!"

"Hey Sandy!" Mark saluted her.

When she saw Mark there, Sandy grimaced at him with an angry look and then she returned at Derek resting her head on his shoulder.

Derek saw Meredith and Addison coming to him, so he started to walk to them.

They stopped in front of each other and both of them were having a small smile on their faces.

Meredith went to take Sandy from him and put her down "Hello Derek!"

"Hello Meredith!"

Addison interfered between their new daze smiling at Derek "Hi Derek! I'm Addison, remember me?"

Derek was able to take his eyes from Meredith, just for a second; that long it took to shake Addison's hand "Of course! Hello Addison!"

Mark was near Derek all that time and now, he came to Addison and put his arm around her waist "Hi Addie!"

Addison treated him with a glare and took his arm away from her "Get lost Mark!"

"When are you going to be happy to see me, Addie?"

"Never Mark! And don't call me Addie; I am not Addie with you!" she responded him angry. She was looking impatiently to get rid of Mark, so she grabbed Meredith's arm "Let's go Meredith; we are going to be late!"

"Umm…yeah…let's go!" and she took Sandy's hand.

Sandy opposed to leave right away "Will I see you again Derek?"

Derek kneeled in front of her smiling, "I am sure you will Sandy!"

Derek watched them leaving, until they were out of his sight. _"This must be a punishment!"_ he said to himself. Now he was forced to work with the woman he wanted, but who was belonging to someone else. _"She smiled at me and Sandy said she missed me. How am I going to stand it?"_

Mark tried to bring Derek back from his thoughts, "I saw that Addison likes you".

Derek looked at him "So?"

"You could help me get a date with Addison, and I'll try to find out more about Meredith's love life. What do you say?"

Derek's mood improved more after he met them again and now he was ready to answer to Mark's words and to make fun of him, "Do you mean, that you…Mark Sloan can't convince a woman to go out on a date with him?! Is your charm dieing Mark?"

He received a glare from Mark for that and saw him starting to walk before him.

"Ha-ha Derek! Your humor is killing me!"

Derek laughed and followed Mark inside.

The chief himself gave him a tour of hospital and introduced him to all the others attendants and residents.

"Dr. Grey!" The chief stopped Meredith when he saw her walking by his office. "This is Dr. Shepherd, the new head of the neuro department"

But Meredith already knew that "We already met!" she answered smiling at Derek.

"That's great; then I think I can ask you to allow him to assist at your surgery!" the chief told her, then he looked at Derek "She is going to perform an extirpation of an impressive big tumor from a brain"

Meredith smiled a little embarrassed "Chief, I think you meant to say that I should assist him. I can't imagine how can I be assisted by Dr. Shepherd!"

"What I actually meant was, both of you to work together. You will need both of your experience and knowledges. With two great surgeons like you, I am sure that you will be able to help the patient. So?" the chief look at them.

"I would be honored" Meredith confirmed with sincerity.

"_Great! She is honored! Oh God, this is going to be hard", "And why is she smiling like this at me?"_

"Dr. Shepherd?" The Chief tried to make him answer.

"_No!"_ "Yes, I'd love to!" _"Shit I can't believe I've just said yes!"_

"That's great then! Dr. Shepherd welcome aboard!"

"Thank you Chief!"

Meredith took Derek to see the patient who they were supposed to operate together. On their way there, Meredith was giving him glances.

Derek noticed them and he also noticed that she was biting her lower lip smiling. He tried to ignore them, but he couldn't do it longer, so he suddenly stopped and looked at her

"What is it?" he asked her.

Meredith stopped to and she hardly could abstain not to laugh, "I can't believe that I hurt the head of the one of the best neurosurgeons in our country!"

At her small giggle Derek couldn't abstain and laughed, "Don't worry! My brain is still in good function!"

Her giggle turned into a laugh at his confession, "That's good!" after a few hesitations "How should I call you now: Derek or Dr. Shepherd?"

"You can still call Derek! It would be too awkward that your daughter to call me Derek and you Dr. Shepherd."

"I am sorry about Sandy, sometimes she gets too friendly with the strangers she likes!"

"As I told you that night too, I don't mind. I like her calling me Derek!"

Meredith smiled wide and started to walk again, "Ok…Derek!"

4 hours. 4 hours lasted the surgery. 4 hours in which Derek had Meredith right by his side and he could see what a good team they were doing together. He also found out what an intelligent woman and great surgeon she is. Knowing her as a mother too, was making him admire her even more.

The surgery ended and their discussion about it continued into the scrub room.

"The size of the tumor made some serious damage to his brain, so I don't believe in a full recovery!" was Derek conclusion over the patient's chances to live a normal life.

"The evaluations that have been made showed a high grade of cognitive deterioration"

"Sometimes we are doing to late what should have done sooner"

"Yeah…so… what brings you to Seattle?" with this Meredith put an end to their talk about the patient's case.

Derek leaned his back to sink and looked at her, while she was still washing her hands "The Chief told me that he will retire and proposed me to come and candidate for his position."

"But you know that, Dr. Burke from cardiology and Dr. Torres from orthopedics have also announced their candidacy!"

"A strong competition gives you the biggest satisfaction at the end of the race!"

"So you are not scared and you are very confident!"

"I am!"

"Impressive!"

Derek smiles wide at her compliment "Thank you!"

"I have to go and see some patients before lunch, so… I'll see you later!"

"Sure" Derek watched her leaving. In all those hours he completely forgot that he saw her in the previous day with another man, but now that she was gone he remembered. He let out a sigh and left.

-------

At lunch time the patio was already crowded. Doctors and nurses, all the medical stuff was taking their break. At one table two doctors seemed to laugh and gossip.

"Dr. Shepherd? The neurosurgeon?"

"Yes Izzie, that Derek Shepherd."

Addison and Izzie had already started their talk about the new doctor.

"And what did Meredith say?"

"You know Meredith… she doesn't show emotions in public, but I heard that they already performed a surgery together! Anyway, Sandy was thrilled to see him."

"I can't wait see this guy!"

"Ok, but watch it! Don't fell for him, because he might be what Meredith needs!"

"How do you know he is what Meredith needs? You said the same thing about Nick and look what happened!"

"Well…Because he is simply just irresistible!" Addison described him gesturing her hands in air.

"Who is so irresistible? Hi Izzie!"

Meredith and Sandy had just arrived at their table and Meredith heard Addison's gladness.

"Hi Meredith! Addison was telling me about you know…(she smiles suggestively) Derek!"

"You have to admit Meredith that he is adorable … in MANY ways"

Meredith laughed at her, "Are you in love with him Addie?"

"No! I am just saying!"

"Whatever! Lets eat!" Meredith said, placing Sandy on the chair next to her.

"Would you dare to start eating without me?"

At this question, everyone turned around the direction that the voice came from.

"Christina!!!"

Everyone jumped, excepting Sandy who continued to eat without carrying too much about Christina's appearance.

"Ok, I am here now! So you can start eating and talking! I want details about this Derek!"

Addison smiled wide at her "We have more hot and fresh news!"

"Can we join you ladies?" Two male doctors had approached their table and one of them asked.

"Hi George, Alex!" Meredith greeted them.

Sandy got off from her chair and went to them raising her hands to them "Hi!"

"Hi Sandy!" George picked her up.

"No, you can't join us, so whip it away!" Christina demanded them immediately.

And Addison sustained her, "This table is just for ladies, sorry!"

At the others two refuse, Izzie and Meredith just shrugged at them.

George put Sandy down and shook his head.

"The ladies' table and soon the one for the old ladies if you will continue like this!" Alex responded them and turned around to leave with George following him.

Christina and Addison rolled their eyes at Alex's comment, while Meredith and Izzie laughed.

Soon those two doctors' visit at there table was forgot and the attention returned to Christina.

"How was the conference with Burke, Christina?" Meredith asked her.

"Not same as interesting as your walk in park Meredith, so you tell me!"

Meredith rolled her eyes smiling and started to eat from what Izzie had brought.

"Ok, I am going to tell you because I also meet him!" Addison got very excited to talk about it. "But first, here are the latest news; Nick proved to be another ass …"

"Of course! This is not news!"

"… and Derek… is the Dr. Derek Shepherd …"

Christina interrupted Addison again "The neurosurgeon?"

"That's him and starting today he works here … with Meredith"

"Could you please stop talking about him? I am not interested on him… I am actually not interested anymore with any man! I don't want men anymore! I am perfectly fine without men!"

Christina waved her hands in front of Meredith like she would have wanted to get her full attention, "Oh no, no Meredith! You are out of men when I say you are, and right now I am telling you that you are not out of men!"

"Mommy, Derek is here! Derek!" Sandy yelled waving the hand, as she saw Derek coming in patio.

Derek saw her and waved back, but seeing all those females from there, he set down on a different table.

Because he didn't come to them, Sandy left her table and went to him.

"That is Derek?" Christina asked them, looking at the man that Sandy was running too.

Addison and Meredith nodded and Christina and Izzie let out a 'wow' when they saw him.

"Apparently your daughter is already in love with him" was Christina's remark.

"Come on stop!" Meredith looked at her serious. "He is …adorable" and she gesticulated to Addison to confirm what she had told about him earlier "but he is not what I need. He is here to candidate for chief of surgery, so if he moved from New York just to be chief, this means that he is more preoccupied for his career than for a family!"

"I still sustain that you should give another chance to Nick"

"No Izzie! He didn't even give me a call since I left him to restaurant last night, so this confirms me even more his intentions. Now please excuse me, I have to bring back my daughter!"

As Meredith stood up from her chair, Christina grabbed her arm and stopped her "Invite him to our table Meredith!"

"No!" and Meredith left to Derek's table.

After she left her table, Sandy ran straight to Derek.

"Hi Derek!"

"Hello Sandy! What are you doing here? I don't think your mom liked that you ran away from her!"

Sandy became pouting when she heard him, "I wanted to come and talk to you! Aren't you happy to see me?"

Derek smiled at her and smoothed her hair "Of course I am happy to see you!"

Sandy got a big smile on her face and grabbed the hand that Derek was smoothing her hair with "Come and eat with us Derek!"

At her urge, Derek knew that he was in trouble. He knew that no one can say 'no' to her.

"I don't think that your mommy and your mommy's friends would like to be interrupted by me."

"They won't mind! They are talking about you, so come" and Sandy was trying to drag him from his chair.

Derek's smile grew even bigger when he heard that. He knew that in that moment he can find out everything they were talking about him, simply just asking Sandy. In a way he liked the idea, but on the other side he thought that it might not interest him what they were saying.

Watching in Sandy's brown eyes he was cursing himself for accepting to go with her that night.

"Why are you disturbing Derek, Sandy?"

Derek's big smile was still present on his face when Meredith came to his table. He looked up at her and saw her standing there with the hands on her hips smiling at them.

"She never disturbs me!"

"I was inviting him to have the lunch with us mommy!"

Meredith shook her head and pulled Sandy to her holding her back to her legs. Sandy was a great girl, but sometimes too pusher.

Sandy pulled herself away from Meredith and got her arms wrapped around Derek's arm. She was definitely determinate to convince him to go with her. She was using her charms to get what she wants.

"But did you ask your mommy first if you can invite someone?"

Sandy bitted her lip and looked over to her mother. She knew what she did is wrong, so she gave her mom a smile over her shoulder, refusing to let Derek's arm go.

"Can I invite him mommy? Please!"

Meredith kneeled near them and grabbed her tiny body "It's not nice what you are doing Sandy! You can't force someone to do what you want!"

Sandy knew that her mother was right so he let Derek go and took a few steps back "I'm sorry!" She was now pouted and moved her look down to ground.

Derek brushed a few strands that had come off from her ponytail, "She didn't force me!"

There it was again. His charm. He really was charming in many ways; the way he was behaving with Sandy, the way he was smiling at them, the he was looking at her. "You can come and eat with us! If you want!"

Sandy's smile came back when she heard her mother and looked at Derek motioning him to say 'yes'.

"Ok".

And again Sandy got what she wanted. Again none of them could say 'no' to her.

"_This will make Addison and Christina very proud" _

"_First I should stay away from this girl, if I want to stay far from Meredith"_

Sandy got Derek's hand and they followed Meredith to their table.

"You can have my sit" Sandy showed him her chair. "I'll stay with my mommy"

Derek looked first at Meredith for her approval, before sitting down.

Meredith nodded and set down too, picking up Sandy on her lap.

Since they arrived together at table, Meredith's friends were looking smiling at him.

Christina couldn't wait for Meredith to make the introductions, so she introduced by herself.

"I am Christina Yang; I work in cardiology" giving him her hand.

Derek took it and shook it "Nice to meet you! I'm …"

"Derek Shepherd" Christina didn't let him finish. "We know. Meredith keeps talking about you!"

Christina liked Derek and said to herself that he is the guy for Meredith, so she decided to give her some help.

Meredith glared Christina, making sure that Derek doesn't see her, Addison and Izzie smiled at each other suggestively and Derek's heart jumped when he heard that.

But why was she talking about him? Isn't her boyfriend or who ever that guy is, jealous?

With all this kind of questions in his head, he was still happy to hear that that she keeps talking about him.

"Really?" And his eyes got fixed on Meredith, who was trying to avoid his look and started to feed Sandy.

"Yes; she told us what happened in park"

"Mommy hit him in head" Sandy needed to mention to Christina and to make Meredith to feel embarrassed "Does it still hurt Derek?"

"No Sandy, not anymore"

"Then will you come with us in park today?" but she immediately remembered what her mom told her earlier, so she looked up at Meredith, pleading with her eyes "Can he come mommy?"

Derek was watching Meredith to see if at least this time she will look at him, because since they set down on table, Meredith avoided meeting his look.

But she didn't look at him this time either; she looked down at her daughter smoothing her hair "If he wants to, then sure".

Right away Sandy's pleading eyes were on Derek "Will you come, Derek?"

Derek would have loved to say 'yes', but he knew that he has to say 'no' and he just let the word come out of his mouth "Yes".

"_Is 'no' out of my vocabulary?"_

Sandy clapped her hands happy and looked back to her mother "See mommy? Derek wants to play with me, not like Nick"

"Come on missy, less talk and more food. You have to go back to daycare soon"

Sandy was happy now, so she listened to her mother and returned her attention to her food.

Christina smelled a good opportunity to bring them together, so she used what Sandy said about Nick to show Derek into a better light for Meredith and to make sure that Derek knows that Meredith is available.

"You didn't like Nick either, did you Sandy?"

Sandy shook her head chewing her food "He made mommy to cry last night and I don't want to see him again."

Christina put the right question; because Derek listened careful what Sandy was saying even if he didn't know how to interpret what her words. He did see that at Sandy's words Meredith looked a little sad.

"Don't worry Sandy, you won't see him again!"

He felt some anger in Meredith's voice, when she said that, and this made him even more confused. What was that supposed to mean?

But starting from that moment he didn't care anymore.

Sandy was happy because he accepted to play with her and Meredith was sad, so he wanted to see both of them happy.

The rest of the break Sandy felt excluded from the grown-ups talk, so she ate her lunch in silence, but happy that later she will go out in park with her mommy and Derek.

Since Sandy said that about Nick, Derek's mood changed and this was obvious for the others too; he seemed to be more relaxed to be there with them than he was when he first set down at their table. Christina noticed that and knew that Derek must have thought that Meredith was involved into a relationship.

"Come on Sandy, we have to go back to daycare" Meredith put Sandy down from her lap and started to pick up the leftovers from them.

"Can I go with you at work mommy? I don't want to go back there!"

"Why don't you want to go back there?"

"Because Tucker is sick and he didn't come, and Lucy didn't come either"

"But there are other kids not just Tucker and Lucy"

"Yeah, but the others are older and they don't want to play with me" Sandy complained to her mother.

Meredith picked her up again and put her in her lap "You know I can't take you with me, Sandy!" and she saw Sandy's sad look when she heard her "Look, you have just a few hours left to stay there and as soon as I finish the work I am coming to take and go to park, ok?"

Sandy nodded, but she was still looking disappointed "And Derek is coming with us, right?" She wanted to assure herself that nothing changed in the mean time.

Meredith looked at Derek, who heard Sandy too.

"If I am still invited then I'll come for sure"

Sandy became happy again and got off from Meredith's lap and took her hand "Go and finish the work faster mommy! Come on!"

Meredith laughed and stood up. She picked up the tray and went to throw it away; then she returned to table and took Sandy's hand.

"Lets' go Sandy!"

Sandy took her hand and gave the other one to Derek "Do you want to see where my daycare is?"

Derek smiled at her and stood up "I have to throw the trash and I'll come"

"Oh… don't worry about it; you can go! We'll clean here!" Addison assured him.

He thanked them and took Sandy's hand.

"We are on the right way with this three" Christina said watching them leaving together.

When they arrived at the daycare they told Sandy to be a good girl and wait patiently for Meredith to come and take her. Sandy gave both of them a kiss and promised them that she will be.

Then Meredith and Derek headed back to their floor together.

"I am finishing the shift at 5 today, so around 6 will be in park" Meredith informed him.

"I should finish by then too!"

"Ok; then maybe we can leave together from here if you want"

"Sure"

There were 4 hours left until 5 o'clock and Derek was counting every minute that was going by. Luckily for him many patients needed a neuro consult in those hours, making the time to fly faster.

At 5 o'clock Meredith picked up Sandy from daycare and they were waiting in the main lobby for Derek to finish his surgery.

Sandy had started to pace around her impatiently.

"Can we go and take Derek, mommy? Maybe he forgot"

"He didn't forget Sandy; I told you he still has work to do and as soon as he finish he will come here"

Sandy set down on a chair and started to balance her feet "Ok"

After just a minute she stood up and started to pace again. Meredith was sitting down on a chair and she was watching her shaking her head.

"Mommy, can we go and wait for him upstairs?"

"No Sandy, because he is in surgery"

"I want to see him there. Can we go?"

"No Sandy we can't. Do you remember when Addison brought you to see me and you didn't like what you saw? You are too little to go and watch surgeries"

"I am not little mommy! I'm almost 4 and I am big girl now!"

"Then try to act like a big girl and wait patiently here for Derek to finish"

"But I want to see Derek there" Sandy protested at her mother hitting nervous the ground with her foot.

"Listen to me young lady, if you continue to act like a spoiled child, then we are going directly to home and you won't see Derek."

This was probably one of the rare times that Meredith stood firm in front of Sandy's caprice, so Sandy set down on her chair again pouted and crossing her arms nervous at her chest.

Derek's surgery lasted longer than he thought it would take; it was already 5.30 and he hoped that Meredith and Sandy were still waiting for him. He saw them in lobby waiting; Meredith was looking nervous and Sandy still standing pouted on her chair with her arms crossed and balancing the feet nervous. Derek approached them worried, not knowing what could have happened.

"Hi Derek!" Meredith stood up smiling at him, when she saw him coming.

Sandy just gave him a glance without changing her expression. Now that Derek was there, she was waiting for him to comfort her, if her mother did not do it.

Derek wanted to go to her, but Meredith made him a sign not to, "Is everything alright?"

"I'm sorry Derek, but I don't think we can go to park today. Sandy is pouted for no reason, and nobody wants to go out and play with a pouted girl"

Derek understood that they had a fight and Meredith didn't want Sandy to win it.

Hearing her mother, Sandy stopped from balancing and looked up at them worried.

"That's ok Meredith! I understand!"

"Maybe we'll go out… next month when she won't be mad anymore!"

Immediately both of them saw Sandy standing near them and looking at them with a finger in her mouth and a guilty look.

"I'm sorry mommy! Can we go now?"

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other and Meredith gave her the hand. "Let's go; it's getting late"

Sandy ignored her mother's hand and raised her arms to Derek.

"I thought you said that you are a big girl now Sandy! Big girls can walk"

Derek lifted her up in his arms and Sandy smiled slickly at her "I'm only 3 mommy; I am not big!"

Meredith laughed and shook her head amused. She was definitely a smart girl.

"Do you want me to carry you on my shoulders?"

Sandy nodded happy at him and Derek placed her on his shoulder. Once she saw herself at that height, she grabbed his hair with both hands and looked down at Meredith "Look how tall I am mommy!"

"When did you get that tall?"

Sandy giggled and they walked out to parking lot.

"Mark brought me here today with his car"

"There is no problem, we can go with mine, but… would you mind if we stop first by our apartment?"

Derek didn't really care where they were going from there as long as they were together.

"I don't mind!"

Meredith smiled at him and opened the door for Sandy to get in. Derek put her down to help her get inside and put her seat belt. He then returned to the front sit and got in next to Meredith, who was already at wheel.

Meredith soon parked the car in front of her building and as usual, Sandy pressed the button from elevator, after she asked the permission to her mother.

As they stepped in, Meredith invited Derek to sit down in living room, while Sandy ran to bathroom and Meredith followed her and took their bags in her room.

This time he found a more ordered apartment. There were just some colored papers and some crayons on the coffee table, two small shirts abandoned on couch and some toy under the coffee table. Sandy was definitely messier than her mother. Derek smiled amused looking around.

Both of them were running around the house, hurrying up to leave faster and probably this was happening every time before going out to play.

Meredith returned from her room changed into a blue pair of jeans and a grey top.

"I'm sorry for this" she said as she was picking Sandy's shirts "Sometimes she changes her mind in the last minute"

Derek just smiled amused.

"Do you want to eat first?" she asked him.

"I am not hungry, but you should ask Sandy"

"Oh no; we always hurry to go out to play so she will refuse"

"Then don't worry about me"

Meredith smiled and left with Sandy's clothes in her room.

"_What toys do you want to take with you Sandy?"_

"_I am taking the toys to go to play in sand"_

"_No Sandy, not today! It's already too late and you don't have time to play in sand. Besides Derek is coming to play with you, will drag him in sand with you?"_

Derek smiled when he heard that and then Sandy's disappointed voice.

"_Ok mommy; we can take the roller skates!"_

"_No! The roller skates neither"_

"_Why?"_

Derek heard Sandy yelling at her mother.

"_Because I am too tired for skates and Derek doesn't have skates to join us"_

"_Oh mommy, you don't know how to have fun."_

"_Don't upset me Sandy, or we will stay home"_

Sandy burst out of her room mad and went to sit down next to Derek.

Meredith followed her out "Ok, we are taking the roller skates" and she left to bring them making Sandy to smile at Derek.

"What kind of doctor are you Derek?"

"I'm a neurosurgeon!" and Sandy gave him a puzzled look "This means that I work on brains"

Sandy understood and smiled at him "Like my mommy"

"That's right!"

"I want to be a brain doctor too!"

Derek laughed and smoothed her hair "I'm sure you are going to be a very good one"

Sandy giggled and stood up yelling at Meredith "Hurry up mommy!"

Meredith comes out from her room holding two pairs of roller skates. "Do you want to put them on now?" handing to Sandy her roller skates.

Sandy nodded and Meredith helped Sandy to put them on her feet and she then put hers in a bag.

"We are ready and… don't worry Derek, this time I won't hurt you. In the worst case I'll break myself a bone" she said laughing and taking Sandy's hand.

Derek laughed and also helped Sandy to get on her feet, "I am not worried! Now I know what I can expect from this!"

They took Sandy's hands and helped her to get out and then to cross the street to park. When they got there they released her and let her walk by herself.

"Come on mommy, put yours!"

Meredith set down on a bench and changed her shoes with the roller skates.

Derek watched her amused for a few minutes how she was trying to get up from the bench. His and Sandy's giggles were making Meredith to glare them.

In a final Derek gave her his hand to help her get up. She took both of her hands and blocked the skates with his foot for not making them move. Once she was on her feet, Derek held just one of her hand and his other hand he placed it on her back to lead her to alley.

This was his first physical contact more closed to her.

She gave him a smile and left his hand, starting to walk slowly and very unsure on her feet.

Sandy was much faster then her mother and she was walking around her and Derek, sometimes taking a long distance in front of them, but she was coming back each time her mother was calling her not to go too far.

Derek was following closely Meredith seeing her so clumsy on those roller skates. Derek smiled when he remembered that night when Sandy described her mother as being clumsy.

When Sandy made another turning around to them, she saw her mother with her back on her and talking to Derek.

Derek saw Meredith losing her balance and falling over him. He caught her right away; this time she was completely in his arms.

Meredith straightened up with his help and smiled at Derek embarrassed "I'm sorry!"

Why in the world she was apologizing? If it was up to him, he would have made her fall many times, just to be able to hold her like this again.

"There's no problem! Look I am not hurt, see?" he joked with her "Are you ok?"

Meredith smiled and nodded. She then let his arms go and turned around.

They saw Sandy looking at them and giggling covering her mouth with the palm, not to make to much sound.

"And why did you push me missy?" Meredith pretended to look mad at her.

"I'm sorry; I had speed and I couldn't stop"

Meredith and Derek looked at each other smiling. _"She did it on purpose"_ was both of them thought.

"I want to see how fast you are now when I am going to put my hands on you"

At Meredith's threaten Sandy started to skate faster and faster, followed by Meredith. She could have been caught by her mother, if Meredith didn't get in panic when she saw how fast she was skating. She started not to can control her feet and hitting a small subsidence in alley her foot ran in a different way making her to fall and hurt her right foot.

Derek ran to help her; he kneeled in front of her and tried to take her leg to see the wound.

"It's just an ugly scratch"

Meredith clenched her teeth and tried to stand up.

"Does it hurt?"

Meredith nodded and then Derek lifted her up and put her on a bench.

Sandy watched the all time, but now when her mother was sitting on bench she came and gave her a closer look to her wound.

"You are not going to be fine mommy, right?" she comforted her.

Meredith saw Derek's strange look when he heard Sandy saying that and smiled at him "That's what I am always telling her when she gets wounds like this"

Derek smiled at Sandy "You don't like to see your mommy in pain, do you Sandy?"

Sandy shook her head and her happy face suddenly turned into a sad one "I don't want my mommy to die too"

"I think we should go home" Meredith tried to change this subject fast.

Derek noticed Sandy's sad look when she said that and Meredith's discomfort to hear her. He knew that Sandy meant to say something with that and Meredith knew what she was talking about.

He set down next to Meredith and put a comforting hand on her back "is everything alright?"

Meredith looked at them and nodded.

Something was wrong.

"I just need to put back my shoes and we can go home"

Derek offered to help her change the roller skates with the shoes. She didn't really need help for it and both of them knew it, but none of them did say anything.

Once Derek put the roller skates back to bag, he helped Meredith to get up.

"You are coming with us Derek, right?" Sandy looked up at him.

This time Derek didn't look for Meredith's permission and he smiled at Sandy "I want to be sure that both of you will get home in safe … without any falls" and he gave her his hand.

Sandy smiled happy and took it.

Now Derek was the one that was holding them; he was holding Sandy's hand and Meredith's waist.

When they arrived home, Derek had forgotten about Sandy's words from park and placed her on couch, while Meredith set down on it too, resting her hurt leg on the coffee table.

Derek helped Sandy to take of the roller skates and then he asked about the medical kit.

"You don't have to worry about it Derek; it's just a scratch, I can clean it!"

"I am doctor too remember? Plus I owe you a treatment"

"I'll bring it" Sandy ran fast to bathroom to bring it.

Derek smiled at Meredith and set down on the coffee table near her legs.

Sandy came back right away with the medical kit and handed it to Derek.

He put Meredith's leg on his lap and lifted up more her jeans to have a better access to it.

"I don't know how is she doing so well on skates; she received them a month ago and you saw how fine she's holding on her feet"

Derek laughed at her "She doesn't need to go to Med School to learn to walk on them"

Meredith pretended to be offended "Thank you Derek"

"Ouch!" Meredith grabbed Derek's hand when he put it on her scratch.

He took her hand away from his and smiled at her "I'm sorry". He cleaned it with disinfectant and left it without a bandage to heal faster.

"Better now?" Without realizing, he had started to rub her leg after he finished with it.

"Much better" Meredith smiled wide at him referring at his touch on her leg. "Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked him, but she also needed to mention something more "You won't have to cook"

Derek spent the entire afternoon smiling, but now when he was just with Meredith and Sandy his smile was very different. It was different in a good way, since it was making Meredith to melt in front of it.

"So are you sure you won't burn it or you already ordered a pizza?"

Meredith stood up and bent to his ear "Piss me off and you'll leave home starving"

Derek held her arm to keep her down when she wanted to leave "I'm sorry!"

Meredith smiled at him patting his shoulder "Izzie cooked, so it's safe"

"Do you need help?"

"To heat the food?" Meredith laughed "You are offending me"

"I was referring at setting the table"

"Sure; you can help"

In all this time that Derek took care of Meredith's foot, Sandy made herself busy in her bedroom. When she came out of it she saw that there wasn't anyone in living room, but she heard them talking to kitchen and went to them. She set down on table quiet and watched at her mother who was heating the food and at Derek who was placing the plates on table.

Meredith found it weird that her daughter was sitting there so quiet; she wasn't looking sad or sick either. She knew that she was planning something.

"I hope you won't make any trouble tonight Sandy"

Sandy gave her an innocent look and shook her head.

She was definitely planning something.

The phone could be heard from the other room, so Derek took Meredith's place at pan, supervising the food and Meredith went to answer it.

"_Hey Meredith!"_

"Christina, hi!"

"_How was the walk with Derek?_"

"The walk was fine Christina; what exactly do you want to find out?"

"_Is he still there?"_

Meredith rolled her eyes "Yes, he is still here! Satisfied?"

"_Not entirely! Put Sandy on phone for me!"_

"Sandy?! Do you want to talk to Sandy?"

"_Yes"_

"Why?"

"_Meredith put Sandy on phone and you go and take care of your guest"_

"Sandy! Christina is on phone! She wants to talk to you"

"_I'm coming mommy"_

Sandy came in to living room running and Meredith handed her the phone.

"Hello Christina"

"_Hey Sandy! Is Meredith still there near with you?"_

"Uh huh"

"_Made her sign to leave"_

Sandy motioned her mother to leave. Meredith looked weird at her and after a second sign she left.

"_Is she gone?"_

"Uh huh"

"_ok! How is it going so far?"_

"It's good everything"

"_Good, now listen…"_

When she returned to kitchen, Derek had already turned off the gases.

"Where is Sandy?"

"She needed to talk in private with Christina. But we can put the food on plates; it shouldn't take her too long to come"

Derek put the food on plates and Meredith put the bread on it, then they set down waiting for Sandy to come back.

"_uh huh"_

"_ok"_

"_Uh huh"_

"_Yeah"_

All this were the sounds that Meredith and Derek heard coming from Sandy, who was still on phone. They looked at each other confused.

"Don't you find this weird?" Meredith referred to Sandy's 'conversation'.

Derek laughed "A little"

"_ok"_

"_uh huh"_

"_Yes! Bye Christina"_

"Thank God! For a moment I thought that she forgot all the words"

Derek laughed and greeted Sandy when he saw her coming in "Ready Sandy?"

"Uh huh" she confirmed and Derek laughed at Meredith hearing her communicating again with sounds not with words.

"Are you ok Sandy?" her mother asked her.

Sandy set down on table "Uh huh"

"Ok, please stop saying 'uh huh'; that's not a word"

"Ok"

Meredith rolled her eyes amused "Did you wash your hands?"

Sandy just shook her head, which made Meredith to snap at her "Would you please try to use words? What is wrong with you?"

"I'm too hungry to speak mommy" Sandy yelled at her.

Derek stood up and gave his hand to Sandy "I'll help her wash the hands"

He lifted her up over the sink and poured some liquid soap in her hands. She washed them and cleaned them with water and then Derek put her down and dried her hands with a cloth.

They had started to eat for a while, when Sandy started to give glances to Derek. Meredith and Derek noticed that and Meredith told her to stop and to look in her own plate. She seemed to have stopped, but after just a few minutes she started again to look at Derek.

Derek smiled and made a sign to Meredith to let her.

"Is there something that you want to tell me Sandy?"

Sandy nodded at him.

"What is it?"

"Addison said that you are coming from New York"

"That's true"

"Are you going to live here?"

"Yes, I will"

"Where is New York?"

"Far away from here"

"Is your mommy here with you?"

"No, she lives in New York"

"Do you miss her?"

"Of course I miss her"

"Don't you miss your friends? I would miss my friends if I have gone somewhere else"

"I didn't have so many friends there"

"Do you have friends here?"

"Sandy, I thought you said you are too hungry to talk!" her mother tried to make her stop.

"I was, but I already ate and I am not that hungry anymore"

"I can see that, but maybe Derek is still too hungry to talk to you"

Sandy looked down in her plate and apologized.

"I don't mind talking to her"

Meredith sighed and shrugged at him, and Sandy looked up at Derek smiling.

"I do have a few friends here; Mark is my friend, you are my friend and your mommy is my friend now".

"I don't like Dr. Sloan!"

"Why?"

Sandy got a sad face, "Because he always makes fun of me and he calls me an ugly duckling"

Meredith smiled "Mark loves to teas her"

Derek smiled at Sandy "Then Mark is no longer my best friend"

Sandy got a huge smile on her face, "Do you want me to be your new best friend?"

Derek bent over to her ear "I would love to be your new best friend"

Sandy giggled and returned her attention to food.

The rest of the dinner was rather quiet and Sandy was the first one who finished her food. She excused herself and left to her bedroom.

Soon after Sandy's leaving Derek and Meredith finished their food too and Meredith stood up and started to pick up the dirty dishes.

Derek stood up too and took his plate, then he placed in her arm and put his hands on them, "I can wash the dishes"

Meredith refused to let them go "I think your … new best friend would be very happy if you will go and play with her"

Derek looked into her eyes smiling and bent to her ear "I can be your new best friend too if you want"

Meredith smiled and let the plates in his hands.

"Thank you! I'll wash them and you can dry them" Derek put them in sink and turned on the water.

Meredith came next to him ready to take the dishes from him.

"I'm sorry about Sandy; she is a good girl, but a little too spoiled. Growing up between four women it is hard not to be spoiled"

Again Derek noticed that Sandy's father wasn't included in Meredith's confession about Sandy.

"As you said, she seems a good girl; you did a good job as a single mom"

Meredith smiled at him with a little discomfort to talk about that "Thanks"

When Meredith put down the last plate, Derek took the cloth from her hand to wipe his hands, fixing her look smiling. "We are doing a good team even on this, not only in the OR."

He didn't let go her look not even for a second; he loved the way she was looking and the way she was smiling at him in that moment. It was like normally the next step to do it would have been… a kiss.

He felt her lips on his, and then her hands in his hair. He couldn't realize what was happening, but he liked it, so he cupped her head and pulled her closer to him, so that he can have her entire body close to his. He thought that his mind might have gone crazy and he is imagining this, but he didn't want to let go to his insanity.

It was a long, soft kiss and therewith his hands were traveling along her hair and back.

For him it didn't last long enough and a feeling of braking got him when she pulled herself away from him.

Her face wasn't expressing anything, maybe just a little embarrassment judging by the nervous way that she was biting her lower lip.

"I…have to go… and check Sandy"

She left him standing in kitchen with his eyes following her until she was out of his sight.

In that morning he was cursing the bad luck of being forced to work with her and now he is in her apartment, in her kitchen and with the taste of her lips on his.

How was that possible?

He didn't know the answer, but he was smiling like he had just received a dose of drugs from her kiss.

Derek left the kitchen and returned to living room. His daze continued on couch until Meredith and Sandy's voices started to rise in intensity.

"_Come on mommy, I want to paint in living room!"_

"_I said no Sandy! You have your table here especially made for coloring and painting; I don't want to see your colors all over the living room"_

"_I won't make dirt I promise! Please mommy I want to stay with you and Derek!"_

Meredith was late with her answer.

"_Please mommy!"_

"_Ok! But if I see any stain on carpet or anywhere around the living room …. You will be in big trouble missy"_

"_Thank you mommy!"_

Sandy came out of her room holding some papers, some brushes and other tools for painting. Very soon the coffee table became like a small painting atelier.

"Do you want to paint with me Derek?" Sandy looked up Derek, who was standing near her.

He settled down near her and Sandy handed him a brush.

While Derek was painting with Sandy, Meredith took the phone and went to her bedroom.

"Addison?"

"_Yeah! Hi Meredith! How was the walk?"_

"I'm in trouble Addison"

"_Why? What happened?"_

Meredith took a deep breath "I kissed Derek"

Addison's laugh could have been heard in phone

"It's not funny Addison! What will he think about me now?"

"_Calm down Meredith! Is he still there?_"

"Yeah… he's painting with Sandy"

"_This means you are a good kisser Meredith" _

"Addison, stop making fun of me"

"_I am not making fun of you; I am just telling how the things are. If he is still there, then it means that he liked the kiss. He kissed you back, right?_"

"Yes, he did"

"_That's great then! I am calling Christina to tell her too"_

"Don't you dare calling her to tell her what I did"

"_You are making a tragedy out of this Meredith; and it is not a tragedy, it's a great thing; Derek likes Sandy, he likes you, he deserves a chance."_

"I don't…"

"_You are going to hang up the phone and go in there and join them"_

"I can't face him"

"_God Meredith! Are you retarded or what? Get in there or I'll ask Christina to kick your skinny ass"_

"Addison"

"_Bye Meredith"_

"Addison!" Meredith looked at the phone. Addison had hung up on her.

She stood on her bed trying to think on what she will tell him. Nothing came up to her mind so she decided just to go out there and face him.

When she came out of her room, Derek and Sandy looked up her.

"Look mommy what we painted?"

Meredith came to them and took a closer look at their painting.

Sandy started to show her each character "This is you mommy, this is me and this is Derek"

"You are as tall as me and Derek"

Sandy giggled at her and looked down at her new paint "We are painting a lake now mommy; do you like it?"

Meredith set down on Sandy's other side and brushed her hair "It's beautiful"

She could feel Derek's eyes on her, but she tried to ignore him; she was just giving him glances from time to time.

When she couldn't stand more, she stood up and headed to kitchen.

"Is everything ok?" Derek asked when she saw her standing up so suddenly.

"Yeah… I just have something to do" she kept walking without looking at him.

Derek watched her worried. _"Does she regret the kiss?"_ He remained with the look to kitchen and let Sandy to paint by herself and he did not notice that she had started to use her fingers as brushes.

Derek reminded that he was doing something and returned his attention to Sandy.

"What are you doing Sandy?" he almost yelled at her when he saw her hands all blue.

"I'm painting better like this! I'm going to show mommy my paint". To help herself to stand up Sandy grabbed Derek's pants, imprinting a blue print of her hand on his beige pants.

Meredith had heard Derek's reaction and came back to see what happened. She came in exactly when Sandy grabbed Derek's pants.

"Sandy!" she yelled at her and went fast to take her hand away "Look what you have done!"

Sandy looked guilty at her mother and then at Derek "I'm sorry!"

"What in the world got you to paint with your fingers? Look at the mess that you made!"

Derek stood up and tried to prevent a fight, "That's ok Meredith!"

"I'm sorry mommy!" But in that moment she grabbed Derek's shirt too.

"Sandy!!" her mom has started to shake her up "What is wrong with you?"

Sandy bitted her lip and looked guilty at her. Meredith grabbed her ear and dragged her away to bathroom.

Derek wanted to say something but Meredith didn't let him "No, don't excuse her! I'm sorry for this! Come on missy to wash you hands!" She continued to drag her by her ear.

"Ouch mommy!"

"Don't ouch me after what you have done!"

Derek watched them unable to help Sandy and then he gave a look at his white shirt who now was having a blue spot too.

Meredith washed Sandy's hands and asked her to clean around the table. Then she returned at Derek with a wet cloth.

"I'm sorry for this Derek!"

"That's fine Meredith, really! It was an accident!"

Meredith was trying to clean his shirt "It wasn't accident, it was her negligence"

"It doesn't come out!" she said after she tried for a while to clean it. "I'll wash them right away!"

"No, that's fine!"

"Derek, you can't go home with your pants painted in blue. You have to wash them now, not to remain stains! You can go to bathroom and change into a bathrobe until they are ready"

Derek looked at her confused for a few moments, not knowing what to say to her.

"Go Derek!" she urged him. "You know where the bathroom is!"

Derek smiled and told to him self 'why not'.

Once he got in bathroom, his attention was caught by the drawings from walls: blue water waves, blue fishes and blue sea stars. Everywhere there were girl products, some red ones for little girls and others for grown ups.

When he came out of the bathroom Sandy was sitting nice on couch looking over a book and Meredith was cleaning the remained spots of color that Sandy's had missed to clean them.

Seeing him coming out Meredith went to him and took his clothes, and Sandy followed her and stopped at his feet "I'm sorry Derek!"

Her innocent look made Derek to bend down and pick her up in his arms. "That's ok Sandy!"

They set down on couch again, Derek holding Sandy next to him, and they watched over the book that Sandy was studying it. It was an illustrated book with animals and birds and Sandy was showing him what animals and birds she knows.

"Did you see all this in reality?" he asked her

Sandy shook her head "But mommy said that we'll go to the Zoo when she will have more time! Have you ever been to the Zoo?"

"Yes I was, but it was a long time ago, when I was little"

Sandy looked up at him smiling "Maybe we'll go together then"

Derek smiled back at her "Maybe!" and he bent to her ear "If you won't get your mother mad again"

"I'll be nice!"

"Sandy, lets get you ready for bath" Meredith came out of the bathroom and told her daughter as she was getting in Sandy's bedroom.

"Wait me here, ok?" she told Derek as she was standing up.

"I can't go anywhere dressed like this"

Meredith and Sandy giggled and headed together to bathroom.

Derek made himself comfortable on couch and continued to look at Sandy's book. A lot of water splashes and laughs were heard from bathroom. Same as the last time Sandy seemed to enjoy the water and to wet her mother.

"_Mommy, do you think Derek will want to read my bedtime story?"_

"_I don't know; we'll ask him, but he might say no, because you stained his clothes."_

"_He forgave me for that. Derek is nice with me, I like him! Do you like him too mommy?"_

"_Yes I like him too, but if you want him to be nice with you, then you should be nice to him too"_

"_I will! Can he come tomorrow too?"_

"_If he wants too yes, but now stop moving!"_

Sandy came out of the bathroom already dressed in her pink pajama, closely followed by Meredith, who was having all her clothes wet. Sandy ran to Derek, who was watching on window. He lifted her up to make her see outside too. The entire day was a warm and sunny day, but now all of the sudden the entire town was under the rain's domination.

"It's raining pretty hard" Meredith joined them.

"Yeah"

"Your clothes are already dried, but …you can stay here over night …if you want"

Derek looked surprised at Meredith's proposal; that was the first thing that Meredith proposed to him and not Sandy.

"I mean… it's raining badly and … you don't have a car…you can sleep on couch" she continued, when he saw his confusing look.

Sandy looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah; I think I'll stay here this night"

Meredith smiled wide at him and Sandy was left down. As she was back on ground she ran to her room and she came out also running to Derek with a book in her hands. Derek lifted her up and placed her near him on couch.

"Do you want me to read you again the story with the bunny?"

Sandy nodded smiling at him.

"Do you mind if you keep an eye on her while I take a shower?" Meredith asked him.

"Sure, don't worry about us"

Derek laid back on couch holding Sandy in his arms.

"Derek, do you want to know my secret wish?"

"Are you sure you want to share it with me?"

"Uh huh, because you are my best friend now!" Derek kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair. "I wish I have a daddy and to live in a house by a lake"

"Like the bunny from this story?"

"Yes"

"Do you know what my secret wish is?" Sandy looked at him "I wish I have a little girl like you"

Sandy smiled and rested her head on him, wrapping her short arms around his chest.

When Meredith came out from bathroom, she found them sleeping on couch, Derek holding Sandy and the book on his chest.

She picked up slowly the book and put it on the coffee table and gently she took Sandy in her arms.

Meredith took Sandy in her room and put her in her bed. She tucked her in and gave her a goodnight kiss. She then returned to living room with a blanket and placed it over Derek.

Derek woke up when he felt Meredith taking Sandy from him, but he kept his eyes closed. He also felt Meredith bending over him and placing the blanket on him.

He opened the eyes after he heard Meredith turning off the light and closing the door of her bedroom.

This entire situation was unusual for him, to sleep into a house of some persons that he barely knows and to look for a family atmosphere with them

The rain was beating furiously in the large windows of the apartment. This rain brought him a sleep over there.

A spontaneous move brought him to Sandy's door. He slowly opened it and entered inside. Sandy was in a deep and peaceful sleep, with a small smile on her face like she was having the sweetest dream. The blanket was already half slipped away from her body and her long messy her was spread all over the pillow, with a few strands on her face too. Derek pulled back the blanket over her and gently he brushed the hair away from her face.

"_Derek, do you want to know my secret wish? … "I wish I have a daddy and to live in a house by a lake"_

"_Like the bunny from this story?"_

"_Yes"_

The little girl wants what Derek can give her, and Derek wants to give what Sandy wishes.

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and got out of her room, closing the door slowly.

For a few seconds he stood with the look fixed on Meredith's room. Her kiss confused him; she kissed him, she avoided him and then she invited him to sleep there.

He didn't know exactly how, but his hand was holding her door handle; also without knowing how he opened the door.

Meredith was having her back turned to him and the face to window. He set down on bed at her back. Her hair was, same as Sandy's, all over the pillow. At first he laid down far from her, but from one move he was now holding her back in his arms and his face was buried in her hair. The sleep got him instantaneity, in this position.

When he opened up the eyes the curtains were still closed and the rain could still have been heard in window. He woke up alone in a bed and a room that weren't his. Looking at the alarm clock from a night stand he saw it was still early. He knew how he got there, in that bed, but now he didn't know when Meredith found him there and how she reacted finding him near her.

Her side of bed was cold; maybe she woke up soon after he fell asleep or maybe she just got up.

Now he was the one that doesn't know how to face her. He didn't mean to fell asleep there, but it happened and now Meredith might be disappointed on him. After some long anxious minutes he decided to go out and face the situation.

Some noise could have been heard coming from kitchen. In living room his clothes were carefully arranged on couch; she had ironing them.

"Morning!"

Derek hesitated for a second to turn around when Meredith saluted him. When he did turn around, his anxiety suddenly disappeared.

She greeted him with a smile on her face; she wasn't looking angry or nervous; she seemed happy.

"Good morning Meredith!"

"Your clothes are ready"

"You shouldn't have ironed them"

Meredith gave him a smile "I have to prepare the breakfast"

Derek watched her leaving with a smile on his face. She wasn't disturbed by his gesture.

When he came in kitchen, Meredith was setting the table for breakfast.

"Do you want to wake up Sandy? I'm sure she will be happy if you do it."

"Sure"

Derek found her sleeping exactly as he had found her last night. He brushed her hair away from her face and bent to her ear.

"Sandy! Good morning Sandy!"

At Derek's whispers Sandy opened lazy her eyes. She got up in her sit and started to rub her eyes. Still sleepy, first she didn't realize who was there with her, but when she started to wake up she jumped on Derek's neck, giving him a kiss on cheek.

"Good morning Derek!"

Meredith watched smiling the entire scene from the door's frame. When she saw that her daughter was awake she came to them.

"Good morning sweetie!"

Sandy let Derek's neck and stood up in her feet to receive her mother. "Good morning mommy!" She wrapped her legs around her waist and her arms around her neck, resting the head on Meredith's shoulder.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Uh huh" her daughter answered still not completely awake.

"Let's get you ready!"

Meredith helped her to dress and wash her face, then she took her to kitchen, where all three of them served the breakfast. Surprisingly for Meredith, Sandy offered to share her favorite cereals with Derek, which she was always refusing to do it with anyone else.

After breakfast, they put Sandy her rain coat and left together at hospital. Sandy was holding their hands and each time they head to climb down or up some stairs, Derek and Meredith were picking her up by her arms and Sandy was laughing each time. She was having real fun balancing when she was in air.

**------**

**I apologize for any eventual miss spelling, but as I said before English is not my native English and sometimes I still miss some when I review it or I don't know that a mistake was made.**

**I love the reviews; they cheer me up, so please review it! They cheer me up even if they are bad reviews; at least I know that someone read it!**

**Now I know that you may have some questions regarding Sandy's father and what was with that money, and why did Sandy say that she does not want her mommy to die too. You might have realized why, and it is true; but it is just half of the story!**

30


	4. It could have been a perfect day

**First I would like to thank you all for your reviews; you have no idea how great it feels to see that your work is appreciated by the others and this makes me try to give the best in me to make them write. I am doing real efforts to write them well. I am aware that they are not perfect, esp. the grammar, but I am an optimistic and I know that in time I'll improve this aspect too. I really hope that you are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it!**

**Secondly, as a disclaimer: I just claim Sandy! Everything is else it is not mine! It belongs to a lady called Shonda**

**-----------------------**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 4- It could have been a perfect day**

This is another morning in which he woke up with her in his arms, feeling her skin and warmth on his and her hair tickling his nose. He removed her hair from his face and turned around to see what time is; it was late. The room was still in dark; the dark brown curtains were keeping the sunlight away from their sleep; in the opposed side of the room, just a small part of an uncovered window, let some the sun to come in announcing the presence of a very sunny day in Seattle.  
He sprawled his legs and arms, then he returned to Meredith's back. A hand sliding under blanket and holding her abdomen and his lips kissing her back neck, made Meredith to moan.  
His hand moved up to her breasts and his lips to her ear and cheek. All he could get out from her with that was just another moan.  
He rolled her over and set on top of her, this time just kissing her face. Instead of her regular moans, now Meredith let out a groan and covered his face with a hand. At her response, Derek took her hand away from his face and held it tight above her head; this way he bent down again over her face without kissing it and breathed in it.  
"You've become very pretentious lately when it comes with the morning calls."  
Meredith opened her eyes and wrapped the arms around his neck laughing "Can you blame me?" and she lifted up her head to kiss him.  
"I don't know for how long I'll be able to satisfy your requests in the morning, if you'll continue like this"  
Meredith had started to ran her hands through his hair and now she pulled it down closer to her face "You should not be worried about this! I'm sure you'll find a way to please me in the morning!"  
At her compliment, Derek started to kiss her again; this time his kiss was completed with hers. He loved to have the taste of her kiss the first thing that he feels in his mouth and the feel of her caress the first thing that covers his body in morning. His every kiss on her body was rewarded with the whisper of his name in his ear, which was making him to want to deep his kisses and to squeeze harder her flash. She never protested at his brutal passion; contrariwise she was tempting him to continue with it.  
His dream was to make love with her in mornings like this and now he was living his dream. 

Derek laid back and Meredith set her head on his chest, enjoying by his hand brushing her hair.  
"Now I think this is going to be a perfect day!" she looked up at Derek "And you were worried about not being able to please me"  
Derek laughed at her remark and hugged her tighter.   
Meredith reached over the clock and gave it a closer look "Wow, I can't even remember when was the last time I stood in bed for so long". She returned at Derek and made herself comfortable on top of him "This is our first day off together! What plans do you have for today?"  
"I guess the same as yours… if you want to include me in them"  
Meredith gave him a quick kiss "If you willing to join us for a shopping round and for some play in park… then you are included"  
Derek cupped her head and placed her kiss on forehead "I love your plans… in the meantime…" Derek rolled her over to get on top of her "…I have the feeling that you are not completely awake."  
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled suggestively at him. For her smile he started to kiss her more and more deeply.  
The door's handle moving made them stop and look in its direction. 

_"Mommy, the door is locked" _  
Derek and Meredith looked at each other and let out a sigh.  
_"Mommy, are you awake?" _  
"I'm awake sweetie! I'm coming!"  
Meredith gave him a quick kiss "Get dressed fast" 

Both of them jumped out of bed; Derek pulled on his boxers and his pajamas pants, and Meredith pulled over her a long shirt and some panties. Then Derek got back in bed and Meredith went to open the door for Sandy. Once she did it, Sandy jumped in her arms  
"Good morning mommy! Why did you lock the door?"  
"Good morning Sandy! I accidentally locked it!"  
Meredith took her in bed and placed her between her and Derek. Sandy kneeled in front of his face and bent down to give him a kiss "Good morning Derek!"  
"Good morning Sandy!" Derek grabbed her legs and drew her down to lay her back; he then started to kiss her and tickle her tummy making her to laugh.  
"Do you like this?" Derek continued to tickle her.  
Sandy was laughing and struggling to move his hand away from her "No…stop"   
Derek stopped and looked at her smiling "You don't like this huh?" and Sandy was still laughing at him "Ok then I guess you will like…" and he started to tickle her feet "…this"  
This caused her a harder laugh and her struggles to become more intense; she was trying to push him away with her hands and legs.  
"Mommy… made him…stop" she was trying to make her mom to help her escape, but Meredith was watching them amused.  
"Mommy…" then one of her legs hit Derek's upper lip, causing the stop of the tickles and the burst into laugh of Meredith's.  
Sandy kneeled in front of Derek, who was covering his lip with one hand. She took his hand from there and looked at him worried "Are you ok Derek?"  
Derek nodded, even if the hit of the 4 years girl was a hard one.  
Sandy gave him a kiss on the injured lip "Are you feeling better now?"   
Her sweet gesture made Derek to forget about his pain and nodded, cupping her head to give her a kiss on forehead. He then noticed that Meredith was having a great fun on his pain and threw a pillow on her "And why are you laughing?"  
Meredith caught it and put it away "I knew that this was up to come and I was curious to see how bad she will hurt you, because the last time she I did this to her, she almost broke me a tooth."  
Derek looked smiling at Sandy "Do you think your mommy would like to be tickled?"  
Sandy giggled and nodded.  
When she heard that, Meredith jumped quickly out of bed, causing to Sandy a desperate scream "Derek, she's running"   
Derek jumped out of bed fast and right away he caught her "Oh no… You are not going anywhere"  
He dragged her back to bed and set himself on her legs, followed by Sandy on her abdomen.  
Now Meredith was the one who was under an assault of tickles and under an uncontrollable laugh.  
When Derek and Sandy got tired, Derek released her legs and Sandy jumped fast from her and hided behind Derek.  
"Was that funny Meredith?"  
Meredith got of the bed and looked at them pretending to be angry "For this you are going to prepare yourself the breakfast." And she left the room, letting Derek and Sandy together.  
Derek looked at Sandy smiling "It's good that we eat cereals at breakfast". Sandy giggled and jumped out of the bed too.  
"Come and help me get dressed" and Sandy left Meredith's room.  
"Do I have any choice?"  
_"No" _Sandy could have been heard from her room.  
Derek laughed and went after her. When he got in her room, Sandy had already opened the closet. In all the mornings that he has spent there until today, Meredith was always dressing Sandy, so now he saw her closet for the first time. 

It was larger than her mother's. Many, many t-shirts carefully arranged on 3 shelves, pants and jeans of all colors on hangers, many, many dresses of various colors also on hangers; and tons of shoes, slippers and sandals. Now he understood why it was taking her so long to decide what to wear in the current day.  
"I want the white t-shirt with kitty and the jeans dress" Sandy pointed to Derek. The shelves were too high for her and that is why every time Meredith was handing her the requested wardrobe.  
Derek looked carefully between the t-shirts not to mess them up. He found the desired t-shirt and then he gave her the dress too.  
Sandy was big enough to dress herself, so Meredith stopped to help her with the dressing. She was only helping her when, Sandy was sick or too sleepy, or when Meredith was in a real hurry. This time Sandy wasn't sleepy and they weren't in a hurry either, but she handed the clothes to Derek to help her. Derek didn't know about Meredith's methods, so he helped her.   
After she got dressed, Sandy ran in front of the mirror and looked back at Derek disappointed.  
"What?"  
"I don't like this dress"  
"Ok, let's find you another one then"   
This time Sandy chose a white dress with red dots.  
"But I want another t-shirt too"  
"Why?"  
"Because this one doesn't match with the dress, Derek!"  
Derek rolled his eyes and started to search again between her clothes "And which one do you want now?"  
"A white simple one"  
He gave her again the requested combination and helped her to put them on. After a visit to mirror, Sandy looked back at Derek disappointed.  
"I don't think I want a dress. I want some pants"  
Derek groaned and returned to closet. 

Meredith finished her shower and dressed herself; then she came to see what Derek and Sandy are doing in there.  
She put her hands in head when she entered in Sandy's room. Many clothes were all over the bed and on chairs; Sandy was still looking in closet and Derek was standing desperate behind her. When he saw Meredith standing in the door's frame, he gave her a pleading look.  
"How are you handling with all this?"  
Normally she would have got angry on them seeing a scene like this, but she knew that Derek didn't know about Sandy's dressing habits, so she approached his ear.  
"Tell her with a serious tone that she stays home if in 5 minutes she doesn't come out dressed. She can get dressed by herself"  
Derek glared her "And why didn't you tell me?"  
"I'm sorry! Now you know!"  
Derek gave her a kiss and returned to Sandy.  
"If in 5 minutes you don't come out dressed, me and your mom will leave alone to shopping"  
Sandy turned her look to Derek confused. What could have changed him so sudden? She then saw her mother and she understood.  
She gave both of them a guilty look "Ok!" 

Meredith and Derek went outside. He took her by her waist and pulled her closer to him "I'll clean the mess from her room"  
Meredith smiled at him "You bet you will"  
Derek laughed and kissed her temple. He then went to take a shower and Meredith to prepare the breakfast.  
In exactly 5 minutes Sandy finished to dress herself; she put on a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Then Meredith helped her with the hair and went together to have the breakfast.  
As usual Sandy was the one who finished first with eating and ran in her room. 

Once they were left alone Derek finished his food and stood there fixing Meredith.   
"What?" Meredith asked him when she saw his serious look.   
"You never talk about Sandy's father and neither does Sandy"   
Meredith left the spoon down and stood up taking the plate with her and went to sink. Derek noticed that his question disturbed Meredith, but he wanted to know about that man, so he turned around on his chair and looked at Meredith.  
"Meredith"  
Meredith didn't turn around not even for a second to look at him; she started to wash her plate.  
Derek picked up his plate and Sandy's and put them in sink; then he leaned on it to face Meredith. She continued to keep her look over the dishes and avoided to look at him.  
"She no longer has a father"  
Derek saw a tear forming in the corner of her eye and placed a comfortable hand on her back.  
"Is he …?"  
Meredith nodded fast, not to let him finish the sentence, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to talk about this… not now"  
He hugged her back and kissed her head "Do you need help with this?" grabbing her hands.  
"I think you have a bedroom to clean"  
"I can do both"  
Meredith turned around to see him and smiled suggestively "Are you that good?"  
Derek laughed and lifted her up, placing her on sink "I am good on … everything! Do you want me to prove you?" But he didn't wait for her answer and covered her lips with kisses.   
"Stop…Sandy…can … come…in"  
Derek stopped from kissing and he was smiling at her "She is probably changing her clothes again, so it might keep her busy for a while"  
Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and moved her face closer to his "In this case you won't be able to do both"  
"Stop worrying" and he started to kiss her deeply. Meredith couldn't resist him and answered his kiss. 

"What are you doing?"  
In a second they pulled apart and Meredith got down from sink. Both of them looked at Sandy, who had come back, then at each other, abstaining themselves not to laugh. They tried to ignore Sandy's question and Meredith started to wash the dishes while Derek was staying next to her with a cloth to wipe them.  
Sandy had brought with her a paper and some crayons and took a sit on table.  
"What were you doing there mommy?"  
Meredith looked first at Derek, then back at Sandy, who was having her attention focused on her draw.  
"We are washing the dishes Sandy"  
At Meredith's affirmation, Derek laughed, earning a slap over his arm from Meredith.  
"What are you, doing there Sandy? We have to go soon!"  
"I'll finish quickly"  
"So, what is the plan for today?"  
"We'll first go on market, then maybe we'll visit a bookstore and then in park; at noon we'll be home for lunch and in the afternoon…we'll see! I just hope that none of us will be paged today"  
Derek rubbed her back, "It sounds like a good plan; after lunch I'll go to change the clothes"  
Meredith had finished with the dished so she turned off the water and wiped her hands. Her look got fixed on Derek, who was wiping the last plate.   
Seeing her eyes on him he bent over and gave her a quick kiss on lips "What is it?"  
"Derek…"  
Derek saw that she became nervous and that she started to bit her lips "What happened?"  
"Derek, don't you think that you spend too much time here, so that you should… I don't know… bring more of your stuffs here?" 

This was one of her proposals that shocked him the most. They were together just for about 2 weeks now and he was indeed spending most of his time and nights there.  
"Do you mean… to move in with you?"  
"If you want to!"  
Derek was that shocked by her proposal, that he wasn't showing any emotion on his face; this made Meredith a little worried. Maybe she hurried up with this.  
She felt relieved when she saw a smile growing on Derek's face and when Derek pulled her in his arms and kissed her. 

"Eww! That's gross!"  
Meredith and Derek laughed at each other, at Sandy's reaction.  
"Go and get ready missy! We'll leave in a few minutes"  
Sandy stood up and took her paper and her crayons.   
"So, that meant 'yes' or 'no'?"  
Derek smiled wide at her and kissed her again "Of course it was a 'yes'" 

Their first stop was at market, where unusual for her, Sandy behaved nice and besides her favorite chocolate chips and some candies she didn't ask for anything else. But at her pleadings, the next stop was at mall, where she was walking holding Meredith and Derek's hands. She was talking a lot, most nonsense, and from time to time she was giggling at the grown-ups kisses.  
Suddenly she left there hands and ran straight to a shop window "Look mommy! I like this dress!"  
She had stop in front of a dress.  
"This is not a dress for little girls"  
"No, it's for you mommy!"  
"Sandy, we are not here to buy dresses"  
"Please mommy, let's get inside and try it on!"  
"No, Sandy! I am not going to try it if I don't buy it!"  
"Please mommy! I want to see how it looks on you!"   
Meredith stood firm and shook her head.  
"Yes Meredith! I want to see how it looks on you!"  
Derek winked at her, but Meredith glared him and Sandy smiled happy at him.  
"Derek don't encourage her!"  
"I am not encouraging her; I am encouraging you!" he grabbed her hand and dragged her inside the store, with Sandy behind them. 

"Hello" a saleslady greeted them.  
Derek continued to hold Meredith by her waist and Sandy's hand. "Hi! We would like to try on the dress that you have it exposed in window"  
"Sure"  
The saleslady brought them the dress and handed it to Meredith.  
Meredith took it and before she went to cabin and try it on, she glared Derek and Sandy. 

"You look beautiful mommy!" Sandy ran to her, when she saw her coming out.   
Meredith made a small reverence in front of her and bent down to kiss her forehead. Derek's eyes were sparkling since she came out wearing that dress.  
Meredith noticed Derek's stunning and smiled at him raising an eyebrow "Satisfied?"  
Derek took her in her arms and hugged her "Breathless"  
Meredith laughed and patted his back "Good, maybe now you'll stop asking me to try something else"  
She smiled at them and went back to change in her clothes. When she came back she found Derek holding Sandy in his arms and giggling; she looked at them weird and went to return the dress. When he saw that, Derek put Sandy down and went to take the dress from her hands "What do you think you are doing? Sandy already paid for it!"  
"She did what?"  
Sandy nodded smiling wide at her "I bought it for you mommy!"  
"You don't have money for this Sandy!"  
"I do have some money in my piggybank mommy and Derek borrowed me some too"  
Derek kissed her cheek and gave the dress to the saleslady "Could you put it in a bag please?"  
"Sure" 

"Do you like my gift mommy?"  
Meredith lifted her up in her arms and kissed her both cheeks "I love it! Thank you sweetie!"  
"You're welcome mommy! I love you!" she also gave kisses on her cheeks.  
"I love you too Sandy!"  
Derek returned to them, holding the bag in one hand and the other one he put it around Meredith.  
"Thank you!" she mouthed to Derek.  
Derek winked at her smiling and they got out of the shop heading to their next destination, which initially was the Bookstore, but something else got Sandy's attention until there. 

"Mommy look!" Sandy, still in Meredith's arms, started to point to a shop and motioned her to put her down.  
Once she did that, Sandy ran to that shop.  
"Oh no!" Meredith sighed.  
"What is it?"   
"That is her favorite shop with clothes! Now I understand why she was so nice at market, why she pleaded us to come here and why she bought me the dress…to bring her here!"  
"Let's go and have a look inside!"  
"I am warning you: you'll need patience!"  
"I have the entire day to walk with you"  
"Ok!"   
They followed Sandy who was staring at the shop window.  
"We are just going to look at clothes! I won't buy you anything Sandy!"   
"Ok, ok mommy; let's go in!" Sandy didn't even listen to what Meredith told her. 

"Look mommy, I like this skirt" Sandy put her eyes on a white skirt with pink flounces and a pink knot. "Can I try it on mommy? Please!"  
The skirt was cute and she really wanted to see how it looks on Sandy, so she motioned her to come with her and try it on. 

After that skirt Sandy found many other costumes to try on. Derek took a sit on a chair and leaned back watching them smiling. Meredith was trying really hard to stay firm in front of her daughter's caprices, but she wasn't able to do it.  
Soon Meredith fell in Sandy's enthusiasm and she was enjoying as much as her to help her try the clothes on. 

"Now Sandy, you have to choose just one article from the ones that you liked"   
Sandy looked at all the clothes that they liked and they put aside. She hoped that her mother liked them all enough to buy them.   
Meredith guessed Sandy's thought and looked at her serious "Sandy"  
Sandy understood that she has a choice to make.  
"I can't decide mommy!"  
"Do you want me to choose one for you?"  
Sandy shook her head and ran to Derek "Derek, which one did you like most?"  
Again, she was looking for some help from Derek. She knew that Derek loves her and that he would satisfy her every caprice. 

"I don't know Sandy!"  
Sandy looked at him disappointed and already resigned. Derek wasn't going to buy them all.  
"There were a few that I really liked! It's a hard decision" 

Did he just say a few?! It was better than just one! Sandy smiled wide at him.  
Each time she was smiling at him like that, Derek was in the 9th heaven; but he was feeling like this, just until Meredith was giving him a glare.  
She was watching them, shaking her head with disapproval. "No" she mouthed to him.  
Derek just winked at her, which made Meredith angry, because she knew that he was spoiling Sandy. 

Derek chose 2 dresses, one skirt and one pair of pants, from all the clothes that they had put aside. He just looked at Sandy, and Sandy answered him right away with a happy nod.  
"Derek what are you doing?"   
"You received a gift today, let her receive one too! Besides, I've never bought her anything so far"  
Right away he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lips, not to let her comment more. Meredith sighed resigned and kissed him back.  
Sandy grabbed Derek's pants and looked up at him happy "Thank you Derek!" At least she was politely.  
Derek kneeled in front oh her and Sandy kissed immediately his both cheeks.  
"You are welcome Sandy!"   
Their next stop was at the Bookstore. Once they got in, Sandy ran to her favorite stand with books for children.  
Sandy loved to hear stories; therefore she was having an impressive collection of stories books. 

"She might become a writer when she will grow up, not a doctor as she says now"   
Derek took Meredith by her waist and looked at Sandy, how she was searching for something new between books.  
"She loves to hear stories; she can relate every book that she has read so far"  
"Like the story with the bunny!"  
"You've read it to her, let's see… 10 times lately and she is still requesting it!" 

Sandy came to them with a book in her hand and gave it to her mother.  
"Look mommy! This is new"  
Meredith takes it and reads the title "It's 'The sleeping beauty', you already have this one. The cover is different!"  
Sandy got a sad face and sighed "I can't find anything new"  
Derek let go to Meredith's waist and headed to some books; he took one and came back to them.  
"You don't have this one: 'The ugly duckling'!"  
Sandy didn't seem happy with that book; that was the name that Mark was teasing her with, so she wasn't very excited.  
"I don't think I'll like it!"  
"I know this story and I am telling you that you will love it! Do you want to see what happens with the duckling?" Derek guessed her discontent and that was a good way to make her feel better each time that Mark will teas her.  
"Ok" her answer wasn't a convincing one, but she agreed and looked up at her mother "Mommy, can I have a new coloring book please!"  
"Sure, go and pick one!" after what Sandy left Meredith smiled at Derek "I'm sure she will love this story"  
"Otherwise I wouldn't have chosen it!" 

After the Bookstore, they went back home to leave their shopping bags and to go to park.  
Once they got in they passed by an ice cream cart.  
"Can I have an ice cream mommy?"  
"Yes, but just one!"  
Derek took out his wallet and looked at Sandy "Which one do you want?"   
"My favorite"  
Meredith and Derek smiled at each other "Strawberries"  
"And one with chocolate for me!" Meredith completed.  
"One with strawberries and two with chocolate" 

The salesman put the ice cream in cups "This is for the young lady" he handed her the ice cream.  
"Thank you!" Sandy took it with a happy look on her face.  
Then he took the cups and handed them to Meredith and Derek, "And these are for her mommy and daddy" 

Sandy giggled when she heard that and Meredith and Derek just smiled at each other. None of them corrected him.  
At the play ground Sandy found a few of her friends, who were also out to play with their grannies or their nannies. Once she met them, Sandy forgot about her mother and Derek and went to play with her friends.  
Derek and Meredith took a sit on a bench and watched her playing. Derek put an arm around her and Meredith rested her head on him.  
It had been a perfect day so far. 

When her friends started to go to their homes, Sandy came to them and set down next to Meredith.  
"Are you tired Sandy?"  
Sandy nodded and rested her head on Meredith.  
"Let's go home then!"  
Sandy took their hands and left together to home. 

Although she was tired, Sandy was still having some energy left, to ask to press the button in elevator, to run out of it and from door to her room. Derek followed Sandy in her room bringing her bags.  
When he stepped in, he saw that the room was still in mess and that he forgot to clean it as he had promised to Meredith.  
In the meantime Meredith had brought the shopping bags in kitchen and stocked the fridge. She then took her dress in her room and went to see what Sandy and Derek are doing in there for so long.  
She found them arranging the clothes in closet. Sandy was handing him the clothes and Derek was placing them inside. When she saw them, they were almost ready with that, so she just set down on Sandy's bed and watched them. 

"Ready mommy!"   
Sandy was smiling proud at her mother, receiving back a kiss from her.  
"You are like a little bee baby!"  
Sandy giggled and asked for a cuddle from her mommy. Meredith took her in her arms and hugged her tight "Let's have a shower, so that we can eat after, ok?"  
"Ok"  
Meredith kissed her again and put her down; she saw Derek leaning on Sandy's closet and smiling at her.   
"Aren't you going to compliment me for this too?"  
Meredith stood up and placed a quick kiss on his lips "Maybe later! Where are you Sandy?" she asked when she saw that Sandy had already left the room.  
_"I am in bathroom mommy!" _  
Derek leaded her outside the bedroom, "I am going to prepare the lunch"   
"Thank you!" 

As a sign of her tiredness, Sandy finished fast the shower and let her mother's clothes dried, so soon she was out of the bathroom. Meredith dressed her in some comfy short pants and a large t-shirt.  
Sandy felt a little refreshed so once she got out of the bathroom she ran to Derek, who was finishing the cooking.  
When he saw her coming to him, Derek bent down and lifted her up in his arms. He ran his face through her hair, breathing in her scent.  
"You smell delicious Sandy"  
Sandy was giggling each time Derek or Meredith was telling her that.  
"But I can't figure out what smell it is" he pretended to think for a while "I know… you smell… like the ice cream that you ate today"  
Sandy laughed at him "Like a strawberry ice cream!"  
"Can I have you for desert?"  
Sandy continued to giggle in his arms and shook her head. "You can buy an ice cream if you want"  
Derek put her down on a chair at table "I think I'll skip the dessert then!" and he returned his attention to his pans.  
While they were in bathroom, Derek had also set the table, so now Sandy was folding the napkins in many shapes. 

Taking advantage from Sandy's new preoccupation and of the fact that Derek had positioned her down with her back on him, Meredith came to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you"  
"I don't know what you are thanking me for, but I like the way you are doing it!"  
He pulled her closer to him, so that he can feel her entire body on his and to be able to kiss her more deeply.  
Both of them shared a long and gentle kiss. Unfortunately it wasn't long enough for them, because Sandy was having her eyes on them and she was watching them with a disgusted face. 

"Eww! That is gross!"  
This time they didn't hurry to pull apart and laughed in each other's mouth.  
"Why are you doing this?" she asked them.  
Derek put his arms around Meredith's waist leaning her body on his and he looked down at Sandy.  
"This is the way that I kiss your mommy"  
"Why? That's gross! Kiss her on cheek like you kiss me!"  
"I can't! The grown-ups are kissing like this!"  
"I'll never kiss a boy like this!" she sustained her affirmation with a shake from her head and she returned her face to table.

"You say that now!" Derek laughed and let Meredith go "The food is ready!"  
Meredith helped him to put the food in plates and then they set down on table to eat. 

Meredith and Derek had almost finished their food when Derek saw that Sandy didn't eat almost anything.  
"Don't you like the food Sandy?"  
Sandy seemed sad and she was looking down at her plate. "I do, but I am too sleepy to eat"  
"Why didn't you say anything? Let's go and put you in bed"  
Meredith stood up and took Sandy's hand, but Sandy gave her a look that made Meredith understand that she is so tired that she cannot even walk.  
"Do you want me to carry you?"  
Sandy nodded and Meredith bent down to pick her up.   
"Sleep well Sandy!"  
But Sandy had already put her head on her mother's shoulder and didn't answer to Derek. Meredith gave him a smile and took her daughter in her bedroom. When she put her down in bed, she saw that Sandy was already asleep. She tucked her in and gave her a kiss on forehead.  
"Sleep well Sandy!" 

Derek was cleaning around the kitchen when Meredith returned to him.  
"She is exhausted"  
"I am not surprised that she is after all those shopping."  
"Please try not to spoil her too. I am having enough trouble already with Izzie and Addison and I really don't want to worry about you too"  
Derek laughed and kissed her head "Then don't worry! I'm done with the kitchen" 

They moved in living room, where they took a sit on couch in each other's arms.   
"Finally, I can kiss you without Sandy's 'ewws'".   
Meredith laid back and put her arms around his neck, bringing him to her. His hands slide under her back and started to kiss her. 

This time the kiss lasted longer and it seemed not to resume just at kissing. Derek had started to kiss around her neck when a cell phone started to ring; he groaned but he didn't give up on what he was doing.  
"Derek… it's mine"  
"So what? It's not the pager, so it can't be an emergency"  
They tried to ignore it, until it stopped from ringing. Derek looked at her "See?" and he moved down to her belly.  
After just a few seconds after it had stopped from ringing, her cell phone started again.  
"Derek, it might be important"  
He knew that she is right, so he moved over and let her go to answer to it. 

"Hello"  
_"Hi Meredith! Were you sleeping?" _  
"Hi Addison! No, I wasn't!"   
_"Great! Find a baby sitter for Sandy and meet us at Joe's at 5"_  
Meredith looked at her watch "This is means in an hour? Where do you think that I will find a baby sitter for her in an hour?"  
_"Can't you ask Derek to watch her for a few hours? I suppose that he is there with you right now!" _  
Meredith looked at Derek, who had already guessed what was about.  
"I can watch her if you want!"  
_"So? Meredith!" _  
"Is it an emergency?"  
_"Of course, otherwise we wouldn't have dared to take you away from him and Sandy!" _  
"Can you at least tell me what is it about?"  
_"Christina and Preston" _  
Meredith sighed "Ok, I'll meet you at 5"  
_"Great! I'll see you then!"_

She hung up the phone and returned to Derek on couch. He received her in his arms and kissed her.  
"Are you sure you don't mind to watch her?"  
"I am very sure"  
"But do you think that you can handle her?"   
"Meredith, she is 3…sorry, almost 4 so I'll do just fine"   
"That's the reason that I am worried for!"  
He bent down and kissed her "Don't be worried and go and chat with your friends! I just hope that you are telling them nice things about me"   
"What makes you believe that we are going to talk about you?"   
"What? I am not the main topic of your meetings?"  
Meredith rolled her eyes laughing "No you are not!… At least not today"   
"And who is the victim of your gossips today?"  
"We never gossip"  
"Ok, then whose life is going to be exposed today?"  
"Burke's, but it is not your business"  
"Ouch! The poor man!"  
Meredith laughed and slapped him for that. She continued to rest herself on him.  
"Don't you have to get ready?"  
"I have enough time!" 

She changed her clothes and before she left, Meredith gave Derek the last instructions and advices for Sandy.  
"If you are paged, call me and I'll come to take her from hospital; if you are going to park, watch her; do not let her out of your sight. I repeat: don't let her out of your sight!"  
"Of course I won't Meredith, don't worry!"  
"When you are going to take your stuff from your apartment, continue to watch her Derek, because she is curious and she might break something. If you need help call me, ok?"  
Derek cupped her face and covered her mouth with his to make her stop.  
"I have registered everything"  
"You are making fun of me Derek and I don't like this! You are going to be in trouble!"  
"We are two very intelligent people, so you really have no reason to be worried about"  
Meredith laughed "Maybe you are, but I am not sure which one of you has more brain"  
Derek started to lead her to door "Go and have fun!"  
"I'm going! Call me Derek!"   
"I will! Bye!" he gave her one last kiss and closed the door behind her 

_"Mommy!" _  
"Where is mommy?"  
Sandy woke up shortly after what Meredith left and she came to living room rubbing her both eyes.   
Derek, who was watching TV, stood up and went to her. He kneeled in front of her, brushing her hair from her face.  
"Mommy left to meet with her friends! She will come back later!"  
"Ok" she continued to look sleepy and pouted.  
"Do you want to watch TV with me?"  
Sandy just shrugged, but Derek took her in his arms and placed her on couch near him.  
"Did you sleep well?"   
Sandy nodded and yawned. Derek pulled her closer to him so that she can rest on him. She put her head on his lap and watched the TV with small eyes. Derek was watching on news, so she didn't understand what she was looking at, but she liked the way that Derek was brushing her hair. 

"What would you say if I will take you to show you where I live?"  
Sandy stood up in her sit and looked confused at Derek "But you live here, Derek"  
Indeed he was practically living there already, and Sandy knew that. Her cute remark made Derek to laugh and to kiss her forehead.  
"I still have some things somewhere else and I need to bring them here"  
"Oh…ok, but can we go in park too?"   
"Sure we can; we can go first in park and later to get by stuff."  
"When do we leave?"  
"When you'll be awake"   
"I am awake; can we go now?"  
"Don't you want to eat first?" Sandy shook her head at his question "Then let's get you ready" 

Derek helped her to get dressed, and because Sandy wasn't quite awake yet, she didn't want to take anything to play with in park; she said that they will just walk.  
When they got there, she didn't start to run as usual and she stayed by Derek, holding his hand.  
"Look Derek! There is a lake; let's go there!" she started to drag him after her.  
They set down on grass near the lake's border, watching the birds from it. Sandy knew to recognize all of them.  
"Do you want me to tell you the story of the ugly duckling?"  
Sandy shook her hand and smiled wide at him "I want you to tell me the story with the bunny"  
"Again?"  
Sandy nodded happy.   
"Aren't you a fan of "The little mermaid" anymore?" Sandy shook her head and Derek pulled her closer to him "Ok, I'll tell you that story again" 

"When I'll grow up, I'll buy a house by a lake for mommy and me"  
"Will you invite me to live in your house?"  
Sandy nodded "Of course! We'll live together: me, mommy and you!" 

Derek kissed her temple and without knowing how, the question popped out of his mouth.   
"What are your mommy and your friends talking about when they meet?"  
In the meantime Sandy had started to play with the grass and she was so focused on what she was doing, that she didn't bother to look up at him.  
"They talk about surgeries"   
"That's it?"  
"And about Dr. Sloan…Mark"  
Derek's jaw dropped when he heard that. About surgeries and Mark?! Why were they talking about Mark?  
"Are they talking a lot about Dr. Sloan?"  
"Uh huh"  
"And what are they saying about him?"  
Sandy shrugged "I don't know, because they are whispering then"  
Now Derek made himself an idea about what they were saying about Mark. He admitted that he was a little jealous that Meredith prefers to talk about him.  
"Are they talking about me too?"  
"Uh huh"  
"And what are they saying?"   
"Addison told mommy that she will marry you if mommy won't do it"  
Derek smiled at that "What did your mommy told to Addison?"  
"I don't know, I didn't hear her"  
Now he found out what the main topic of their meetings is, but he didn't find out the most important thing: the details. 

Later Derek took her to Mark's apartment. When they got there, Mark wasn't home yet.  
"This apartment is messy Derek"  
Sandy was looking around her. Mark's clothes were thrown everywhere in living room and bottles of beer and boxes of pizza on table. It was indeed, unusual messy.  
Being in an unfamiliar place for her, Sandy was following Derek everywhere he was going.  
In bathroom Derek was taking his things from there, while Sandy was sitting on near the sink and she was watching carefully on what Derek was doing.  
"What is that?" she pointed to a bottle with perfume.  
"That is Mark's perfume"  
"Mark lives here?"  
"Yes, this is his apartment"  
"Eww!"  
Derek laughed at her "What?"   
"I don't like Mark!" and turned her attention to another bottle "What is that?"  
"That is my perfume"  
"Can I smell it?"  
Derek sprayed some on her hand and she took the hand to her nose "I like mommy's better"  
"Do you mean that you don't like how I smell?"  
But Sandy wasn't paying enough attention to him, she just shrugged with indifference and pointed to a box "What is that?"  
"That is Mark's hair wax!"   
"What's that a hair wax?"  
"He uses it to make his hair look nice"  
"Oh…ok!"  
"Come on, we are done in here!" he put her down and went back to his room. 

While they were in there, Mark arrived home and seeing the light on and voices from Derek's room he went to salute him.  
"What is she doing here?" he almost yelled when he saw Sandy in Derek's room "Are you baby sitting Derek?"  
Derek glared him, while Sandy hided behind Derek. He took Sandy and put her on bed trying to ignore Mark's sarcasm and continued with the packing.  
"Are you moving out Derek?"  
"I am taking just a few things from here"  
"Wow! Meredith was indeed lucky to hit you that day, after just a few weeks you are already moving in with her"  
"Stop it Mark! It's my business who am I moving in with and what I choose to do with my life"  
"Whatever!"  
"I found out something that it might interest you today, but because you are so funny I won't tell you"  
While they were talking, Mark had set down on a chair "Is it about Addison?"  
Derek smiled at him and shrugged "Maybe" 

After a few minutes of teasing from Derek and pleadings from Mark, Mark stopped and looked around the room.  
"Derek, do you hear that?"  
Derek stopped from what he was doing and looked strange at Mark. "What should I hear?"  
"The silence! It is too silence and the kid is not in the same room with us; this means one thing: that she is doing something bad"  
For the first time in the last minutes, Derek noticed too that Sandy was missing. He started to call her and after a third call, Sandy answered him.  
_"I'm in bathroom!" _

Derek went there immediately and Mark followed him.  
"Sandy, what are you doing?" Derek yelled at her when he came in bathroom and saw Sandy's messy hair, her dirty hands and Mark's hair wax near her. He took the box from her and put it away "How did you reach until here?"  
Mark took his box with wax and saw Sandy's finger prints in it "Didn't your mother tell you that you are not allowed to search through other's people things?"  
"Mark please get out! I'll buy you a new one!"  
Mark shook his head and left the bathroom "This is why I will never have kids" 

Derek lifted Sandy up to wash her hands and then he tried to brush her hair, but the brush was getting stuck in it.  
"Ouch Derek! It hurts"  
"I'm sorry, but we have to unravel it"  
"Derek, it hurts!"   
"Mark, how are you getting this thing out of your hair?"   
_"Wash her hair" _

Derek washed her hair and then he dried it and tried to brush it again. But this time it wasn't easier either and Sandy was almost crying because of the pain produced by Derek's tentative to brush her hair.  
"How is your mother doing this Sandy?"  
"I don't know"  
Derek sighed and rested his face in his hands, while Sandy was looking at him sad.

At Joe's, a table was already occupied for 2 hours by 4 ladies; 4 noisy ladies. 

"Are you sure that there is no chance left for you and Preston, Christina?"  
"Yes Meredith I am very sure! That conference that we attend together made me realized that as long as the pool still has fish, it does not worth to waste the time with Preston Burke."  
"You are so going to miss the sex, believe me I know better!" Izzie sighed and drank her sorrow with her beverage.  
"No, believe me that the only way that I can enjoy a small and poor orgasm from him, is just by his surgeries."  
This caused a massive laugh between Meredith and Addison, and both of them cheered for Christina's release.   
"Now I have to move and I don't have a place to go!"   
Christina gave a look to each of them, but all three of them were avoiding to look at her. First their eyes got fixed on Meredith.  
"Oh no, no! I have just two bedrooms and I already have Derek in there so… not with me! I am sorry!"  
Then Meredith looked at Addison and Izzie.  
"You two have an extra bedroom!"  
And Christina started to stare at them.  
"Do we have any choice?" Addison asked Christina.  
"No!"  
"Fine, move in with us!"   
"Good, now that my housing is settled and you, Meredith, have just mentioned about Derek… this thing between you two is getting more serious each day, when are you going to tell him about Sandy?"   
"I don't know how serious it is yet, so I won't tell him right now"  
"Is not serious Meredith?! Seriously? I can't even remember when was the last time that I cooked for you and Sandy, because he is there every night acting like… a wife."  
"I guess it is serious… at least more serious than my last relationships." She started to bite her lip nervously and looked at the others. Her friends realized that there was something more going on with her, so all three of them gave her a look.  
"Ok Meredith spit it out now!" Addison had started to make her talk.  
"I kind of… asked him to move in with me"  
They all got a suggestive smile on their faces when they heard that.  
"And you are telling us that this relationship is more serious than the previous ones?! No Meredith, this is the most serious relationship that you ever had! You are seriously in love with him, aren't you?"   
"He is … amazing with me, with Sandy, he can cook… the sex is amazing"  
"Ouch" Izzie pretended to be hurt "Please don't mention about amazing sex in front of me"  
Izzie's continence was so regular for her friends lately, that they weren't taking her in serious.  
"Anyway… yes I am in love with him, but I still need more time to know him better before to tell him about Sandy; but why are we talking about me now? We are here to talk about Christina's problems"  
"Oh, no; my problems are solved now, so we can end the discussion about me. But now that we are here talking about our love life…Izzie, why aren't you ask Sloan's help for your sexual crisis, like how Addison did?"  
"Mark? Why Mark?" Addison snapped at Christina, making everyone to look surprised at her. "I am just asking, because … he is not … that good and… it was a mistake, I should have never slept with him"   
Christina looked at her with a suggestive smile and lifting an eyebrow at her "So … you are not jealous"  
"Jealous? No!" and she tried to fake a laugh, which didn't fool anyone.  
"You know Addison, if you are not jealous then I think I am going to listen Christina's advice, because I really need sex, no matter how bad it is"  
"You would do anything to get some sex Izzie, wouldn't you?"  
"Very amusing Meredith, but not everyone has a Derek to satisfy her needs everyday, so you should keep your mouth shut"  
"Ok, ok! The last thing that I need right now is to have you, beating the crap out of me"

"You should try with some conditioner Derek"  
Derek was still trying to figure out how to brush Sandy's hair, and now Mark was helping him with advices.  
"Do you have any?"  
"No, I don't need it"   
"Can you watch her while I am going to buy one?"  
"No! No Derek! I don't do baby sit!"  
"Mark, I'm not asking you to take care of her for the rest of the day, just for a few minutes."   
"No Derek, I don't want to stay with him" Sandy begged him and wrapped her arms around his arm.  
"Sandy, I can't take you out with me, you have your hair wet! I'll be right back I promise"   
"No Derek, please!"  
"Sandy! Come with me" He picked her up and took her in living room, where he turned on the TV on the cartoons channel "Look, you can watch cartoons until I get back, ok? This way you won't even feel how fast the time flies by"   
Sandy looked at him sad and resented "Ok!"  
"Please Mark, watch her!" 

He returned to his apartment after about half an hour, and when he came back he found Mark on couch in front of the TV instead of Sandy.  
"Where is Sandy, Mark?"  
"She had started to argue with me and she is in your room now!" 

Derek went to his room and when he wanted to get in, he noticed that the door was locked and Sandy was crying behind the door.  
"What did you do Mark?" he yelled at him.  
Mark brought him the key "I told you I don't do baby sit!"  
"Are you crazy? What if anything happened to her while she was locked in there?"  
He grabbed the key from Mark and unlocked the door. Sandy was crying in his bed with her hair all over her face. Derek picked her up and hugged her, trying to calm her down.  
"Shh… come on Sandy don't cry, I am here now!"  
Sandy continued to cry in his chest for a few minutes and when she calmed down a little, she looked up at her Derek sobbing.  
"Can we go home now?"  
"Yes, we are going now!" 

He took the bag whit the things that he had managed to pack until Sandy's incident and took Sandy in his arms.  
Before he left the apartment he looked back and glared Mark.  
"I am sorry man!"  
But Derek just shook his head with disappointment and closed the door after him. 

Soon after they arrived home and Derek had washed and brushed her hair, Meredith returned home. She saw Sandy's wet hair and her sad face.  
When he saw Meredith, Derek knew that he will have to explain to her what happened and he also knew that she will have all the reasons to be mad on him.  
"Mommy!"  
Sandy ran straight into her mom's arms, when she saw her coming in. Meredith bent and picked her up. Once she was in her mother's arms, Sandy started to cry.  
"What's the matter sweetie? Why are you crying?"  
She saw Derek's guilty look too and glared him "What happened here? What happened with her hair? Derek!"  
"We were at Mark's when I let her out of my sight for a second and she went to bathroom and used Mark's hair wax and then I had some trouble with brushing it and…"  
And he took a deep breath and remained quiet.  
Meredith put Sandy down and lifted her face to look at her; then she looked again at Derek waiting for the end of story.  
"I had to go to buy a hair conditioner and I let her alone with Mark"  
When she heard that, Meredith already knew that it couldn't come anything good and shook her head with disappointment.  
"When I came back, Mark had locked her in my room"  
Meredith ran her hands through hair nervous, sighing deeply.  
"What did I tell you Sandy, that you are not allowed to search and use other's person things, especially if they are strangers"  
"I am sorry mommy!"  
But this time her daughter's crying voice didn't melt Meredith "You are grounded for this Sandy! Two weeks without park, visits and bedtime stories for you!"  
Sandy started to cry harder at her mother's harsh tone, which made Derek to feel even guiltier. He kneeled in front of her and tried to comfort her.  
"No Derek, leave her! Go to your room Sandy!"  
Sandy listened to her mother and went in her room without any protests.  
"It's not her fault Meredith!"   
Meredith snapped at him too immediately, "She has to understand that what she did was wrong, and you are right… it wasn't totally her fault… you… you have a big guilt in this. I told you Derek to watch her! I repeated you many times NOT to let her out of your sight not even for a second and you promised that you will do just fine, that it can't be that hard to watch a 4 years old child! And what was in you mind when you let her alone with Mark? Now I think that I know him better than you, who are his best friend! God Derek, can you imagine what could have happened while she was locked in there?"   
Derek listened in silence Meredith's blaming; he knew that she was right and it was his entire fault.  
"I am sorry Meredith!"   
Meredith turned her back to Derek and left to kitchen without saying anything more. Derek took a sit on couch holding his head in his hands and sighing deeply. All this seemed to be a nightmare; Sandy was crying in her room, Meredith was staying angry in kitchen and Derek couldn't think about how to fix this. How to make this nightmare disappear and how to bring back the happy moments. 

At a given moment he went to Meredith. He found her resting her head on table.  
"Sandy haven't eaten anything since lunch"  
This was the only thing he could come up with to make her talk to him again, or at least to make her go and see Sandy.  
Meredith stood up from chair and left the kitchen. She didn't say anything and she didn't even look at him for a second. 

Meredith entered in Sandy's room and found her still sobbing in her bed with the face buried in blanket and her hair over her face. She laid down next to her and hugged her back.  
"I'm sorry that I yelled at you Sandy, but you do know that I had to punish you for what you did, don't you?"  
Sandy's head motioned a nod and turned around to her mother. Meredith hugged her and brushed her hair away from her face, while Sandy was snuggling in her arms.  
"I'm sorry mommy!"  
"I know baby!"  
"I promise I won't do it again!"  
Meredith hugged her tighter and kissed her forehead.   
"I hope Derek is not mad of me!" 

Once that Meredith left the kitchen, Derek followed her and stopped in the door's way, watching them. Even if she didn't look at him, Meredith knew that he was there, so when Sandy said that she gave him a look, motioning him to come.  
Derek set down at their feet and cuddled Sandy's back.  
"I am not mad of you Sandy"  
Sandy left Meredith's arms and went in his. Derek received her in his arms, brushing her hair and kissing her head.  
"I am sorry too that I let you alone with Mark!"  
Sandy didn't say anything and continued to sob in his chest. 

"Let's go and eat something"  
At her mother's proposal Sandy shook her head "I am not hungry! I want to sleep!"  
Derek laid her down and Meredith tucked her in. They stood there with her until she fell asleep.  
Once Sandy fell asleep, Meredith stood up and went to her room, leaving Derek with Sandy. 

He found her in her bedroom standing in front of the window and looking outside. At least he knew that she wasn't mad on Sandy anymore; actually she was never mad of her, but the fact that Derek didn't watch her carefully as he was supposed to and because of what Mark did, scared her and made her release it on her daughter.  
It was already dark outside and both, Meredith and Sandy were having the view from their bedroom over the park. It was a full moon, covered with a few small clouds, but its light was still strong enough to light up the park.   
"I am sorry Derek! I know I overreacted but… being a parent is the hardest job. When I started to work as a doctor I said that this was the hardest job, but when Sandy came in my life I realized that it wasn't so!" she let out a sigh and turns her face to Derek, who was staying right behind her "Are you sure you want to do this?"  
Derek pulled her in her arms and looked straight into her eyes; he was happy that she forgave him and that she takes their relationship in serious "I am very sure! I don't know how to be a parent and today I saw on my own how hard it is, but I am willing to learn. I promise I'll do my best Meredith!"  
His words made Meredith's eyes to tear. He was too perfect, which was making it hard for her to believe it, but she wanted to think that it was real.   
She rested her head on his chest, looking on the park, where no long time ago she hit him in head.  
"Don't you think that two weeks of punishment are too much for her?"  
Meredith laughed a little "It is, but I don't want to back out; besides at the end of these two weeks she will have her birthday party!"  
"She will finally say that she is 4"  
"Don't be so sure of that"   
"I love you Meredith!"  
This was the first "I love you" that one of them had said it to the other. He felt it so he said it. He didn't know if it was too soon, but he couldn't hold it inside anymore.

"I love you too Derek!"

----------

**Please continue to review it! If I am doing wrong on something just tell me! Thank you all! The chapter 5 is ready and Sandy will finally turn 4!**


	5. Happy birthday Sandy!

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 5- Happy birthday!**

"Turn that damn alarm off!"

"It's the phone and it's on your side!"

"No, it's not on mine!"

"Yes, it is! Answer Meredith!"

Meredith pulled the cover over her head and turned her back to Derek. He started to nudge her with his hand and foot.

"It's not on my side Derek!" she yelled from under the cover.

Derek groaned and reached over her; he took the cover away from her face and the phone from her night stand. He placed the telephone receiver on her ear "Speak!" and he rolled over on his side.

Meredith held the phone on her ear sleepy and without opening her eyes.

"_Meredith? Are you there?"_

"Hey Addie!"

"_OMG Meredith!"_

Addison's grave voice made Meredith to jump in her sit, waking her up right away, followed by Derek.

"Are you ok?"

"_You will never believe what I've just seen!"_

"What have you seen?"

"_O'Mailey! You know… George"_

"What about him?"

"_I saw him coming out of Izzie's room earlier! Izzie slept with George can you believe it?"_

"No Addison! I can't believe it! I cannot believe that you woke me up and scared me like this just for a gossip! Get a life Addison!"

Meredith put the phone down nervous and sighed.

"What happened?"

Meredith laid back and Derek was looking at her worried.

"Nothing important, just that Izzie had sex with George"

Derek laid behind her back and laughed "O'Mailey? Really?"

Meredith turned to him with a glare "I didn't know that you are interested of gossips Derek"

Derek pulled her in his arms and started to kiss her "At least she will be happy from now on, so you should be happy for your friend too"

"Maybe I would be, if at this hour we haven't talked about Izzie's sex life"

"Do you want to talk about our sex life instead?"

"Preferably"

Derek rolled over on top of her and started to kiss her, while she was running her hands through her hair.

They were soon interrupted by the alarm that was set up to wake them up. Both of them groaned and they didn't want to end with what they were doing, but the alarm needed to be turned off, so Derek pulled apart from her and stopped it.

Meredith got off from bed and went to window to open the curtains. It wasn't completely light outside, so the room didn't lighten too much.

Meredith let out a sigh and returned to bed, where Derek was still laying "It might rain again today"

"This is something regular for Seattle and besides, the party will be inside"

Meredith laid down on his chest and Derek started to run his hand through her hair "I know, but the rain is depressing"

Derek lifted up her chin and kissed her "I find it romantic! You know why?"

Meredith placed herself on top of him and smiling she started to kiss him, while her hands were brushing his hair.

"You guessed it right!"

"So … the rain turns you on?"

Derek laughed and rolled over to get her under him "really, really bad" and his mouth covered her without letting even a small space for the air to get in.

Meredith laughed and started to slap his back to let her go.

"What?" he finally stopped and protested "I thought that I am a good kisser"

"You are a terrific kisser, but right now it is not raining and we have to get up so… get up"

"I'll pray from now on to rain on every morning!"

"You do that, but in the meantime… get up"

Derek gave her one last kiss before he got up from her. "I am going to wake up Sandy"

"Not now! Give her more minutes of sleep today on her birthday! We can shower, get dressed and then to wake her up!"

"Fine! We will shower together?"

When Derek asked her that, Meredith was already at door, so she leaned smiling on the door's frame "Only if you want to! I don't want to force you!"

Derek jumped out of bed immediately and went to her "Please force me!"

Meredith laughed and dragged him after her; Derek followed her as if he was a horny dog.

In bathroom Derek started to undress her; first lifting up her shirt and then slipping his hands under her pants. All this time Meredith was giving him kisses on his lips and around them. When she felt his hands under her panties, Meredith pushed him away.

"Wait a minute, I didn't ask you to come here for this!"

"Meredith, when you ask a man to join you in shower, then it is an invitation… not for shower to be more precise"

"My invitation was referring on you in the same bathroom with me; you brushing your teeth and shaving, while I shower"

"So you did it just to tease me huh? To torture me while you are showering and I am just watching?"

Meredith laughed and got in shower closing its door behind her.

Derek shook his head and took his toothbrush; he put some tooth past on it and leaned his back on sink, watching Meredith. He could see the shape of her body through the blue opaque door and the way that she was washing it. When he could not stand more, he spited it up the toothpaste, undressed himself and got in shower.

He hugged her back and started to kiss her wet shoulder, receiving back her soft caress on his arms.

Meredith turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around him starting to kiss him "You were right! This is what means when you invite a man in shower with you"

Derek lifted her up, placing her legs around his waist and leaning her back against the wall to be able to press her body with his.

The real shower took them just a few minutes, but with all this after a half an hour, they stopped the water and stepped out of the shower. Derek took a towel and wrapped it around Meredith and another one for him.

Since she got out of the shower and until she was all dressed, Meredith could not keep her smile away from her face.

Derek noticed that and after he dressed himself too, he came to bed, where she was sitting on the edge of it. He lifted her face up to him and gave her a soft kiss on lips.

"I'll take this smile of you as a compliment and as an assurance that you will invite me some other time too to shower with"

"Be sure of that!" She stood up and kissed him back "Now, let's wake up Sandy!"

"Let me take the gift that I have for her!"

He wanted to go and take it from closet, but Meredith stopped him and grabbing his arm, she dragged him outside their bedroom.

Sandy was still sleeping deeply and as usual her long brown hair had invaded her face and it was being thrown messy around her. She was wearing her favorite pink pajama with many strawberries on it and her tiny body was being laid over the blanket.

Meredith slowly laid next to her and gently she brushed her hair away from the cute face, moving it over her head to clear her ear, so that she can hear her whisper.

"Happy birthday to you/ Happy birthday dear Sandy/ Happy birthday to you!"

Since she first heard her mother, Sandy got a big smile on her face and stood up in sit rubbing her eyes with both hands. Meredith gave her a kiss, while she was trying to arrange her hair to back.

"Happy birthday sweetie!"

Sandy's hands left her eyes and in just a second they were wrapped around her mommy's neck placing kisses on her cheek.

"It's my birthday mommy!" her face was radiating happiness in that moment.

It was probably her fastest awake in the morning so far.

In the meantime, Derek took a sit on her bed close to them, so after what Sandy finished with her mommy, she jumped in Derek's arms.

Derek received her with many kisses on her face that were making her to laugh.

"Happy birthday Sandy! You are finally 4 years old!"

"I am almost 5 Derek!" and right away she jumped out of his arms, down from bed and grabbed his hand "Come and see how big I am!"

Derek looked amused at Meredith, who was having fun seeing her daughter's excitement.

"Officially she lived 4 years, so she has indeed almost 5! She is surprisingly smart and now she wants to show us how much she grew up since her last birthday"

Sandy took them at the door's frame and placed her self near it with a hand on top of her head. "Look mommy! Draw here!"

Meredith took a marker from her desk and made a sign on frame, where her head was ending. When Meredith drew the line, Sandy turned around and jumped up and down happy looking at Derek and Meredith.

"See how big I am?"

There were a few inches difference between those two lines so she was having a good reason to be so thrilled about it. Derek bent down and picked her up in his arms "You are very big indeed and very smart too"

Sandy gave him a kiss on cheek for his compliment and motioned him to let her down so that she can go to her mother. She hugged her legs and looked up at her smiling.

"What is it Sandy?"

Sandy did not seem to want to or to have the courage to say it, so Meredith looked at Derek thinking that he might know what it is about. Indeed, judging by his big and proud smile, he did know what was it about.

"Come on Sandy, tell your mommy!"

"Tell me what?" she continued to look confused at them.

"Derek taught me to count until ten!" she finally said.

"He did?"

Sandy nodded happy at her "Do you want to hear?"

Meredith picked her up and placed her on bed, and then she and Derek set down too, with Sandy between them.

"Let's listen!"

Sandy stuck a finger in her mouth and looked at Derek for some encouragement. Derek was smiling at her and motioning her to say it.

"1…2" she took a short pause to look at Derek. Derek nodded to continue. "3…4…5…6…7" and she looked again at Derek.

"Go on Sandy!" he encouraged her.

"8…9…10"

Meredith gave her a strong kiss on forehead, "That was very good Sandy!"

"And 11, mommy!"

"Oh… so you know how to count until 11! That is very impressive!"

Sandy giggled very proud and snuggled in her mother's arms, for some cuddle. Meredith hugged her tight, still brushing her hair and kissing her head.

"Now go and look for some nice clothes to wear today at daycare"

Meredith put her down, and immediately Sandy ran and opened the closet. After a long look along of it, she decided to wear the white skirt with flounces and a pink knot, the one that Derek had bought it for her the last time that they went to shopping together. She also chose a matching white shirt with short sleeves and a pink lace along its buttons end at the end of its sleeves.

As shoes, Sandy's option was a pink pair of sandals.

Meredith helped her to get dressed and brushed her hair, and fixed a few strands from face at her back with a pink barrette.

She then took her in front of a mirror to see her.

"I like it mommy!"

Meredith kneeled near her and both of them looked in mirror "You are a very cute young lady Sandy"

Sandy giggled and took her mother's neck in her arms giving her a kiss on cheek.

"Come on and eat something now!"

She took her hand and left to kitchen, where Derek had already prepared everything for them to serve the breakfast. When he saw them coming in, he also felt the need to compliment Sandy.

"You are a very beautiful little girl, Sandy!"

"I am a young lady now Derek" Sandy corrected him, a little resented of what Derek said about her.

"She is almost 5 Derek!" Meredith also needed to tease him.

Derek lifted Sandy up and put her in a chair "Now young lady, let me serve you your favorite cereals and I hope that you will accept my apologies!"

Sandy looked up at him smiling "I forgive you Derek!"

During the breakfast, Sandy needed to repeat again to her mother what Derek taught her. She did it three times, but the third time she mixed a little the numbers. Because of all her talk, this time Sandy was the last one who finished eating. When she did finish the breakfast, Meredith took her in her room to prepare her back bag for daycare, while Derek stood in kitchen to clean up around.

Derek came in Sandy's room too, holding a small white box with a pink band tied on top of it into a knot. Sandy saw him right away coming in and ran to him smiling, while Derek kneeled to wait for her.

"This is my birthday present for you sweetie!"

Sandy did not look very excited at that box; she knew that all the great gifts are coming in big boxes.

Meredith saw her daughter's reaction and came to them bending down to her ear "You know Sandy… you can find great things in small packages too, it is not necessary to be a big box"

Sandy looked up at her mother with a puzzled look; she did not understand what her mother meant to say with that, but she accepted the gift from Derek.

When she saw that her daughter is not going to thank to Derek, Meredith motioned her to do it.

"Thank you Derek!" and she even gave him a quick kiss.

"I am sorry Derek!"

Derek continued to smile all this time, and when he stood up, he gave Meredith a kiss "She will love it!"

Both of them watched Sandy how she was unwrapping the band away from box and then at her reaction.

When she opened the box she looked up at them a little confused, but Derek took out of it the present and kneeled again in front of her. It was a small white gold necklace with a small pendant in the shape of a flower.

Sandy's eyes started to sparkle when Derek showed it to her making her to jump at his neck and kissing him happy on both cheeks.

"Thank you Derek!"

"You are very welcomed Sandy!" then he looked up at Meredith smiling "I told you!"

He helped Sandy to put the necklace at her neck, then he took her to see herself in mirror; when she saw herself, she started to kiss him again with the same passion as earlier.

Meredith joined them in front of the mirror and kissed Derek's cheek, whispering in the same time to him, "You are spoiling her!"

Derek kissed her back "You are jealous, because she received a jewelry and you didn't and because she will like my gift more than yours"

When she heard about that, Sandy looked at her mother happy "What gift do you have for me mommy?"

"Come with me and I will show you!"

Derek put her down, so that she can go with her mother. Meredith took her in her bedroom and from the second she opened the door, Sandy ran inside happy.

Down next to her bed was big white dollhouse; the one that Sandy promised that she will be a good girl for, when a few months ago Meredith took her to mall and Sandy saw it.

"It is the dollhouse mommy!"

Meredith smirked at Derek "She is still a kid that loves the dolls more than the jewelries!"

Sandy kneeled in front of it and started to study it closely gasping from time of time because of the excitement of discovering each part and room from it. Meredith also kneeled behind her and studied together with her daughter the house's interior.

"Look mommy! Here is the bathroom; it is pink! Can we have a pink bathroom too?" she looked behind at her mother.

Meredith cupped her daughter's head and kissed "Maybe we will make it pink…one day!"

Sandy giggled happy and returned her view at her new house. Meredith stood up and went to Sandy's bed, in Derek's arms. Derek was watching them happy and with a satisfied look on his face for enjoying together with them that moment.

Sandy was so attracted to that house, that she could have stayed there and play all day, so her mother told her that Addison will come to take her to daycare soon.

"Can I stay home with you today, mommy? Please!" and to make her beg more convincing she came to her and hugged her.

Meredith knew what she was doing, so she hugged her back and then she looked at her "Do you want to miss all the gifts that you could receive there, today?"

When she heard about more gifts, Sandy smiled and shook her head "When is Addie coming?"

"She should be here in a second sweetie!"

"I can't wait for my party, mommy!" and she said extending her arms to her mother to pick her up.

Meredith picked Sandy up and placed her on her lap, so that she can receive a 'thank you' hug from her. Their sloppiness moment ended soon, because the doorbell rang and they knew that Addison was there.

When she heard the doorbell, Sandy got down from her mother's lap and ran straight to door, followed closely by Meredith and Derek.

Meredith was the one that unlocked and opened the door "Hi Addison!"

Addison gave her a glare then she took a very happy face and bent down to hug Sandy.

"Happy birthday sweetie!"

"Addie!" Sandy jumped happy in her arms.

"I have a gift for you!"

When she heard that, Sandy's eyes started to sparkle again; but the sparkle disappeared when she saw what a small box Addison was giving to her and she took the same disappointed face as she had done when Derek gave her his present.

Addison guessed fast the reason of her discontent and after she gave her a kiss, she whispered to her ear "I have a bigger one to bring you at your party!"

Sandy's smile grew huge again and thanked Addison for that. She took the box in living room and sitting down on floor she started to unwrap the gift with Derek's help.

While Sandy was running to living room to open Addison's gift, Meredith and Addison left behind the others. Meredith saw the glare that Addison had given her when she came in and that she was mad at her.

"Are you mad on me Addison?"

Addison kept her look away from Meredith, watching with the smile on her face at Sandy's excitement.

"Addison, do you have the same age as Sandy? Because right now you are behaving like a child, what is wrong?"

Addison looked at her and again she glared her "Hanging up on me while I am speaking is very rude Meredith!"

"Addison, you ruined my sleep just to tell me that Izzie…" and realizing that Sandy might hear her, she took the voice down "…Izzie had sex with George!"

"It was something big, otherwise I would have not called you!"

Meredith shook her head "I suggest you my friend to call Mark!"

"What?" Addison reacted offended by Meredith's suggestion.

"By the way, where are Izzie and Christina?"

Addison walked in living room, still mad on Meredith "Christina did not sleep home and Izzie is coming later; she is finishing the birthday cake"

"A PURSE!!!!" Sandy shouted thrilled by Addison's gift. It was a small fancy and red purse for little girls with some white flowers imprinted on it.

"So you like it?" Addison came and set down next to her.

Sandy nodded happy at her "Thank you Addie!"

"You are welcome sweetie!" she kissed her temple and then she stood up giving her hand to Sandy "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh huh" Sandy stood up to and after she neat her dress she took Addison's hand "Look what Derek got me!" she showed proudly her necklace.

Addison kneeled in front of her and admired her jewelry. "Oh my! This is the most beautiful necklace I have seen! You look fantastic today Sandy!"

Sandy giggled proud "I am prettier than you Addie!"

At her own brag, everybody laughed with sympathy.

"You certainly are Sandy!" Addison was not bothered by her comment and approved her "But I am prettier than your mommy, am I not?" she found a good opportunity to tease Meredith a little for that morning.

"You are Addie!" Sandy confirmed and Addison smirked at Meredith, who was smiling and disapproving Addison's childishness behavior.

"Are you happy now Addie?"

Addison smirked at her "Partially" and she leaded Sandy to door.

Meredith kneeled in front of Sandy's and helped her to put on her jacket "I'll come to take you at noon Sandy, ok?"

"Ok mommy!"

"Be a good girl!" Meredith gave her one last kiss and neat her hair, while Sandy was kissing her back "I will mommy, I promise!"

"I'll see you later Sandy!" Derek also bent down to give her kiss.

Once that Meredith closed the door, Derek came behind her putting his arms around her and kissing her back neck "You are definitely much prettier and Addison!"

Meredith giggled and turned around to face him "I feel… much … better now…thank you!" kissing him repetitively on lips.

Derek let her go "Good! Then what are we doing now?"

"How much time do you have?"

Derek was checking his watch "3 hours"

"Great then! You can start with the decoration"

At noon, Derek looked for Meredith and Sandy in patio, thinking that they might still be there, but he only found Addison, who was sitting alone on a table and reading.

"Hey Addison!" Derek took a sit on her table.

Addison was so captivated by what she was reading that she did not look up at him and she did not seem to pay him too much attention "Hi Derek!"

"Where are the others? I called Meredith but she is not answering!"

"She came and took Sandy and left together to cemetery, Izzie got an assent to go at Meredith's and help her and Christina is somewhere around here" she had not taken her eyes from that book not even for a second.

Derek's hearing stopped at what Addison said about Meredith. She had not told me that she would take Sandy there today.

"They went at Sandy's father?"

With his question, Addison stepped back into reality and for the first time since he was there, she looked at him.

"Umm… yeah"

"Why did he die?"

"I am sorry Derek, but I have to …go!" Addison stood up and hurried to leave the table, so that Derek cannot have time to ask her more.

"Addison!" Derek looked after her shocked by her reaction.

He stood there for a few minutes trying to understand what was going on and why Addison did freak out.

A few minutes later, he ran into Christina, who was very focused on a study and same as Addison she did not pay too much attention to him.

"Hello Christina!"

"Hey Derek!"

"Why did Sandy's father die?" he asked her straight.

"A car crash!" But as she said that she looked up at him panicked, because she said something that she should not have said. "You know… I have a … patient to check on! I'll see you later!"

"Christina, stop!" Derek grabbed her by her arm determined to find out what is going on. "Why if everybody freaking out when I ask about him?"

"Who else did you ask?"

"I asked Addison and she used exactly the same pathetic excuse to avoid the answer. Is his cause of dead a secret or what?"

"No Derek, it is not a secret but we are not the ones that we should tell you about this. It slipped me away, but Meredith is the one that has to tell you!"

"I tried, but she also avoids the subject!"

"Give her time!"

"This is ridiculous Christina!"

"I know Derek, but Meredith… is Meredith… give her time and she will tell you! Now I really have work to do"

"Fine! Thanks for nothing!" and Derek left angry.

The party had started and all Sandy's friends were there, some of them were living in the same building with her, and they were there alone, and some of them from park were accompanied by their moms or grannies; Izzie was also there helping Meredith with the snacks and from time to time playing with the kids. Later the others started to arrive too; first Christina and Addison and later Alex and George.

Alex was adopted by those 4 boys that were there and George by the girls.

While Meredith was staying in a corner of a room with Addison and Christina, Sandy left her friends for a while and came to her.

"Mommy, why is Derek not here yet?"

Meredith kneeled in front of her kissing her forehead "He has a long surgery, but he will come soon!"

"Ok!" She then, returned at her party.

When Sandy left, Meredith stood up and looked a little worried "When I talked to Derek earlier he seemed mad… like he was mad at me… but maybe it was just my imagination!"

Addison and Christina looked at each other as they knew something and Meredith saw them "There is something that I should know about?"

"He asked me and Addison today why did Sandy's father die?"

"I hope that you did not tell anything!"

"It slipped me away by accident that he died into a car crash!"

"That is it? You did not tell him more than that?"

"No Meredith, that was all, but it is the time for you to tell him"

"No! It is not the time… it is still too soon!" She had started to watch Sandy worried, while Christina and Addison were looking at each other with disapproval for Meredith's decision.

Addison came closer to Meredith and same as her, she was watching Sandy who was having a real fun with her friends "You cannot build a strong relationship if you are keeping all this things secret"

Meredith turned her look to Addison and sighed, "I don't have the courage to tell him!"

"You have to find the courage and the trust to talk to him; waiting will only make the things worse and Sandy will be the most affected from this entire story!"

"I don't know…. I will tell him… soon! Now it is my daughter's birthday and I do not want anything to ruin it!"

In that moment they saw Derek stepping inside and Sandy running to him. They also saw the look that he gave Meredith when he spotted her in the opposite corner.

"Derek! You are late!" Sandy jumped on him to be lifted in his arms.

Derek took her in his arms and gave her kiss, "I am sorry sweetie, but someone needed my help!"

"And you helped it?"

"Yes, I did!"

Sandy giggled and gave him a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Look mommy, Derek is here!" she said when she saw her mother coming to them.

"I told you he will be here soon! Hi Derek!"

"Hi!" was just his short and distant greeting salute.

Meredith tried to ignore that, so she continued to act normal, as if nothing would have happened "How was the surgery?"

"Successful!"

His answer was the same, confirming this way to Meredith that something was going on. She did not want to admit it, but she knew the reason.

Sandy asked to be left back down, and once that Derek did it she grabbed his hand and tried to drag him after her.

"Come and play with us Derek!"

Derek stood stone still and with his look fixed on Meredith. He looked down at Sandy, just as for a few moments "Go and play and I will come too! I want to talk to your mommy first!"

"Ok!" Sandy released his hand and ran to her friends.

"Can we go in our room?" he asked Meredith.

"Sure"

Now Meredith was really worried, because she knew what was about to come and she did not have any idea about how to get out of this situation. They entered in their bedroom and Derek closed the door, while Meredith was waiting for him to burst.

And he did it!

"What is going on here Meredith?"

"Derek, please lets not talk today about this!"

"I see that you talked to your friends! What happened with him Meredith? Why did he die? Why you and Sandy never talk about him? Why there are no pictures of him here or at least in Sandy's room?"

"Derek, I know that there are many questions that need an answer, but please… I can't talk with you about this right now"

"Why?"

Derek's harsh tone and the idea of talking about that right in that moment, made Meredith to collapse on bed and to burst into tears covering the face with her palms.

"Because I can't… I am not ready!"

"You don't trust me enough to share it! Meredith, if you want this to work, then you have to know that you must trust in me and share everything, no matter how bad that thing is!"

Meredith's tears made Derek to try to be a little calmer.

"It's not something very easy for me to talk about… it's hard and delicate! I don't want to risk and ruin Sandy's birthday… she deserves a happy birthday."

"Ok… tell just one thing… did he treat you and Sandy bad?"

"No!"

Meredith continued to cry and to look down. She knew that this could be a crucial moment for their relationship and it would not necessary be crucial in a positive manner. As much as she hated the idea of losing him, she was not able to tell him the truth.

"I cannot understand you right now Meredith!"

"Do you think it is easy to talk about death Derek? Have you ever lost somebody?"

"Yes Meredith… I did lose somebody, somebody very dear to me. I lost my father and I don't find it hard to talk about him, because we had a lot of great moments that I love to remember about. Remembering good memories is not that hard!"

"I am not you Derek! I don't feel strong enough to remember and to talk!"

"Come on Derek!"

Sandy had come in to take Derek to play with her, but when she saw her mother crying and Derek standing angry there in front of her, she ran straight to her mother.

Meredith wiped her tears and hide that she was sad.

"Are you crying mommy?" Sandy started to smooth her face with one hand and the hair with the other one, just like her mommy was comforting her when she was crying.

"No baby! I am not crying?"

"You are crying mommy! Did you make my mommy to cry?"

For the first time since they have met, they saw Sandy looking angry at Derek. She had seen her mother crying before, so she knew that a man did it… this time it was Derek, and for this, as much as she loved him, Sandy could not forgive him.

Derek could not feel more hurt than that when he saw her anger and heard her accusing tone.

Meredith put her on her lap and hugged her tight. "No sweetie! He did not make me cry! It is the pain"

Sandy looked sad into her mother's teary eyes "Where does it hurt mommy?"

It was not of course a physical pain, but the little girl did not know another type of pain.

"My head hurts!" she told Sandy, just to make her not to be worried and sad about her anymore.

Sandy cupped her mother's face with her tiny hands and kissed her forehead. She gave her the only cure for pain that she knew.

"Does it feel better now?"

It was impossible not to be better after that. She had given her the best cure for her pain.

"Much better! But do you know what will make the pain to disappear?"

Sandy looked curious at her.

"To see you smiling and enjoying the party!"

Immediately Sandy's face lighted up and kissed again her mother's forehead.

"Go out and play your friends now! I'll be out too in a minute, ok?"

Sandy got down from her mother's lap and nodded "Ok mommy!" she turned around to Derek and gave him a guilty look "Will you come too, Derek?" The question came out of her mouth shy.

She was feeling guilty for no reason, because he knew that he was indeed the one that made her mommy cry. Now Derek was feeling guiltier than she was. He kneeled at her level and smoothed her hair smiling "Of course I will! Go and have fun!"

Now that she had their both assurance that everything is fine, Sandy got back her smile and her good mood and left the bedroom, closing the door after her.

When the door was closed, Meredith's tears burst out again "I ruined her party!"

After all that had just happened in there, Derek knew that the best thing that he can do right now is to give her time to talk.

He came to her and kneeled in front of her taking her face in his hands to look at her "I am sorry Meredith! I overreacted! I can wait!" and he stood up to pull her for a hug.

"I will tell you soon, Derek! I promise!"

"Tell me when you are ready and I will be here to listen!"

"Thank you"

He lifted her head and gave her kiss on lips "Just for the record… you did not ruin the party… just listen how much fun they are having!"

Meredith rested her head at his chest smiling proud "I have a wonderful daughter!"

"She sure is wonderful!" Derek confirmed and lifted her face to him again "Do you forgive me?"

Meredith shook her head, which caused to Derek a worried face.

"Please!" he begged her.

But Meredith continued to motion a 'no'. "Because I don't have what to forgive you for! You are right, there are many questions and answer that you need to know!"

"Let's not talk about this right now and let's join the party"

They stood up to leave, but before Derek to open the door, Meredith stopped him and looked at him with a begging look "Please, just don't ask her about this, ok? Wait for me to tell you! Do not ask her!"

Derek smiled and nodded.

Meredith washed her face and tried to hide the tears' presence, but her friends knew that she had been crying. She told them that everything is fine now and to drop the subject, at least for that night.

Soon it was the birthday's cake time, so all the kids were waiting excited for Izzie to bring it. Meredith picked Sandy up in her arms, so that she can blow in candles easier and because Sandy loved to feel herself taller than the others. The lights went low and in the same time with Izzie's appearance, everybody started to sing "Happy Birthday" to Sandy. She gasped of excitement when she saw the cake.

It was a big cake with two levels, all dressed in white and pink cream and very nice decorated with many strawberries. The 5 candles where placed around an image of a bunny, Sandy's new favorite character, who was holding a heart with a "Happy Birthday Sandy!" message on it.

"Make a wish Sandy!" Meredith told her.

Sandy nodded, but before blowing in candles, she needed something more. Derek. Derek was staying not very far from them, but not closer enough for Sandy, so she extended a hand to him to come to her. Derek joined them, kissing Sandy and holding Meredith's waist.

Now Sandy was having an arm around Meredith's neck and another one around Derek's and she was smiling happy. Almost everybody from there knew what her wish was.

Meredith, holding Sandy in her arms, bent down so that they can blow in candles.

With the help of her mother, Sandy extinguished the candles and a ripple of applauses started that were making Sandy to giggle and play shy.

Meredith put her down and under her daughter's hawk eye, she started to cut the cake. The first piece she gave it to Sandy, next to the rest of the kids and then to the grown-ups. She gave the kids large pieces, so when they finished it, everybody was full.

The kids returned to their games, while the grown-ups were talking to each other.

Meredith was talking to Christina and Addison when Derek came behind her and put his arms around her waist placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Do you, ladies what to hear a hot gossip?" he asked them smiling at each of them

Meredith turned around and looked at him suspocious. Derek gossiping? Since when?"

"I thought you do not like the gossips, Derek!" Meredith lifted an eyebrow and looked at him suspicious.

"I do not but this is really hot!" he continued to smirk at them, without taking his chin from her shoulder. "Do you want to hear it?"

"Derek, you were calling us blabbers and now you want to share a gossip with us?"

"No, I never said something like this!" he lifted his chin from her shoulder and pretended to be offended.

"Leave him alone Meredith!" Addison pulled Derek away from Meredith "Tell us what is it, Derek?"

Derek got a superior smile on his face and cleared his throat "Guess who just had sex in your bathroom Meredith?"

All three ladies looked at each other confused, until Addison had a sparkle.

"Izzie? Was it Izzie?"

Derek nodded "And you will never guess who came out after her from there?"

Again, they gave a look to each other.

"George, I suppose! Am I right?" Addison was already captivated and extremely curious.

Derek smiled and shook his head.

Addison's eyes grew huge and almost yelled "It was not George?" and Derek shook his head again "There are just three men at this party and… you said it was not George and you … it would have been impossible to be you…right?"

"Of course! I was with Sandy all this time!" He jumped when Addison doubt about him and pulled Meredith for a kiss on cheek.

"So it was Alex!" Addison was completely shocked now. "OMG Izzie!"

"How did you find out?" Christina asked him "Did you burst in there over them?"

"No! I saw their after sex smile!"

Christina shrugged a little disappointed "It would have been more interesting if you would have burst into them! But what can I say… nice job Izz!"

Meredith saw Izzie, so she went straight to her and grabbing her by hand, she dragged her after her in kitchen, closely followed by the others.

They got in kitchen and made sure that none hears them.

"What did you do Izz?" Meredith asked her serious, crossing her arms at her chest.

"I did not anything! What makes you believe that I did something?"

Everyone, except Meredith, were smiling suggestively at each other.

"Izz, you have the after sex smile!"

Izzie almost blushed when Meredith told her that, but she could not stop from smiling and burst "OMG Mere! It was amazing!" and caused a massive laugh between Derek, Addison and Christina.

"Izzie, what is wrong with you? This morning you were with George and now with Alex?"

Izzie took a sip from the beverage that she was holding in her hand and smiled dirty at Meredith "Alex is…much better than George!" and in that second she took a serious face "Wait a minute! Who told you about George?" after a short pause and a look at each of them, she saw Addison's guilty face "Of course! Who else? Addison, our …newspaper…or no… our tabloid"

"Hey it doesn't matter who told, the point is that you already slept with George… in the same day Izz!"

"That's right! And I made my choice!" she smiled satisfied at them.

Christina joined Izzie up on the counter's edge, where Izzie had taken a sit "Izzie Stevens, you are a very smart woman! We should all do the same thing…pick up…at least two men, have sex with them and consider our options."

"Meredith, you are friend with them?" Derek asked her a little worried on what he had just heard from Christina.

Meredith gave him a soft kiss on lips and smiled at him "I think that I've already considered my options!"

This caused a series of groans from her friends.

"Anyway Izzie, do what you want, but George doesn't deserve this and next time when you will be in hits … use you own bathroom for sex!"

"The bathroom is for bath Izzie!"

When they heard that, everybody stunned and Meredith covered her face with both hands.

"Mommy, Lucy's mommy is here to take her!"

Sandy had come in unnoticed when Meredith said that and went to her mom.

Meredith tried to pull herself together and not to let see Sandy the embarrassment, hoping in the same time that she will not put the question.

"Let's go sweetie!" she took her hand and wanted to take her out.

"What is that 'sex' mommy?"

Meredith stopped dead in her track and looked back panicked at the others, who were just as embarrassed as Meredith.

Derek took her other hand and leaded her outside "We will talk about this later, ok? Now let's say goodbye to Lucy"

"Ok!" she said without insisting with the question.

Knowing her daughter, Meredith knew that she will repeat it, so she could not smile satisfied as Derek was smiling at her, when they went out of kitchen

Izzie, Christina and Addison stood stunned watching them until they went out from there.

"She is screwed!" Addison shook her head.

"Very!" Christina sustained Addison's statement.

"She is going to kill me!" Izzie said it with a crying tone initially, but once she finished the sentence, she burst into laugh, accompanied by her friends.

One by one, each of Sandy's friends left home and the only guests left there were Alex and George. Of course, Izzie, Addison and Christina were still there, but they weren't considered guests.

George took Izzie away, into a more private corner so that he can talk to her.

"What do you want to do next?" he asked her with a flirtatious tone.

Her friends and Derek could not have missed this scene, so they were giving them glances from time to time.

"Umm…I'm going to help Meredith…you know… with the cleaning!"

"I can help too!"

"Oh…you don't have to! I am … tired, it has been a long day and … I really need sleep!"

George looked a little disappointed but he nodded that he understands. "Oh…ok then! I'll say goodbye from Sandy and we'll talk tomorrow!"

Izzie faked a smile and nodded "Sure."

Meredith came to Izzie who had started to pick up the trash from around the living room after her talk with George. "I've told you Izz, George doesn't deserve this! You have to clarify the situation!" and both of them were looking at George while he was saying goodbye to Sandy and Derek.

"I know! And I will!" Izzie tried then to give Meredith a smile for a help "Could you please help get rid of Alex tonight?"

Meredith was smiling at her when she asked her that "Could you help explain to Sandy what "sex in bathroom" means?"

Izzie abstained herself not to laugh and looked guilty to ground "No!"

"I thought so! I am sorry, but I cannot help you either!"

Soon everybody left and Sandy ran in her room, where her mother had deposited all her presents, while Meredith and Derek were trying to make the house to look better.

Izzie just excused herself to George that she is going to help on cleaning, in reality it did not happen.

"_Mommy, mommy! Come please!"_

At Sandy's desperate tone, Meredith's heart jumped of fear and ran to her bedroom, with Derek right behind her.

Both of them stopped in the door's way letting out a deep sigh of relief seeing Sandy just very excited about one of the presents that she had received.

Derek squeezed Meredith's shoulder giving her an amused face. Meredith responded her with a smile and rested her head on him, watching with a content look her daughter's excitement.

"Look mommy, Carrie brought me a complete kitchen set! Come and look, mommy!"

Meredith smiled at Derek placing him a quick kiss on lips and patting his chest "I guess that we can let the cleaning for tomorrow!"

Derek took her hand and invited her to join her daughter "Is still her birthday!"

Both of them joined Sandy on floor and inspecting every single present, Sandy's was changing her favorite one.

In the end, after what all the presents had been studied she did make a decision upon it. Her mom's dollhouse, Carrie's kitchen set, box with many puzzle stories and… for Derek's disappointment,… that was it.

"This kitchen set doesn't fit in the house's kitchen mommy!" Sandy looked up a little disappointed after she had tried to put in a teacup.

"These are too big sweetheart, but you can arrange a new kitchen in one of the room's corners."

"Will we cook together mommy?"

Meredith kissed her daughter's head and smoothed gently her hair "Yes and maybe you will teach me how to do it!"

"We can make muffins like Izzie's!"

"Look what we are going to do!" and Sandy turned he view to her mother curious to find out what is it about. "Tomorrow morning we will call Izzie and ask her to give us the recipe for muffins, and then in the evening we try to make some, ok?"

Sandy got a huge smile on her face and nodded very excited at her "I cannot wait, mommy!"

"Now let's have a bath and then we get in bed!"

Sandy giggled very happy and stood up on her feet, helping herself up with her mother's leg. She hung on Derek's neck, so that he can pick her up in his arms. "Then Derek is going to tell me a story, right?"

Derek kissed her temple "Of course I will!"

"Two stories?"

"I can tell you three if you will not fall asleep!"

"Ok! You can tell me three then!"

Derek laughed and gave her back to her mother, so that she can help her with the bath.

Derek returned to housecleaning, when Meredith took Sandy in bathroom. Even if she had jumped and ran all day, especially at her party, at that late hour Sandy was still very dynamic and, from what he could hear coming from bathroom, she was causing serious troubles to her mother.

"_I will have to tell her ten stories if she is not tired yet"_ Derek laughed to himself.

When Meredith opened the bathroom's door, Sandy ran right away from there all dressed in her pink pajama straight to Derek, who was cleaning the coffee table from living room in that moment.

She stopped in front of him and extended her arms to him "Smell me Derek!"

Derek smiled at her and turned his back on her "No!"

Instantly Sandy made a frowned and sad look "Why?" and Derek turned around unexpected and picked her up very fast holding her in air and kissing her tummy "Because I am going to eat you!"

Sandy had grabbed his hair with both hands and her feet legs had started to hit Derek; she was laughing very hard struggling to escape from Derek's tickle "Put me down Derek!"

Then, Derek placed her on his arm, like she was a baby and set down holding her like this.

"You told me to smell you, and I said no, then you insisted and now …" she started to tickle her tummy "…I am going to eat …entirely"

Sandy continued to laugh and to struggle in his arms "Mommy! Help me!" she was calling for her mother.

"Derek!" Meredith yelled at him making him stop.

Derek and Sandy looked at her and saw her coming out of the bathroom with all her clothes very wet.

Sandy stopped from laughing and extended her arm to Meredith "Mommy, help me!" she begged her, but without any intention to leave Derek's arms, even if now she could have escape.

"Don't eat her entirely by yourself, share it with me!" she said smiling and started to tickle her too, while Derek was just watching her amused.

"Derek! Make her stop!" Sandy was laughing and asking for Derek's help this time.

Meredith stopped from tickle and took a sit on the coffee table.

Derek had seen her wet clothes since she first came out of the bathroom, and now that Sandy stopped from laughing, he found this a good opportunity to amuse Sandy again.

"Mommy, didn't you know that you have to take all your clothes off before entering under shower?" he teased her laughing.

Sandy giggled and stood up from Derek's laugh "Yeah mommy!"

"Haha… you two are very funny! Come on young lady, it's time for you to go to bed!"

"No mommy, not now!"

"It's late Sandy!"

"No mommy, please I want to stay with you and Derek!" Sandy was continuing to beg her mother with a crying tone.

"Derek and I are going to bed too, Sandy!"

Sandy gave to Derek a disappointed look, at which Derek couldn't resist; so he pulled Sandy back in his arms and bent at her ear.

"Mommy has to shower first, so she cannot go to bed right now!"

"Derek!" Meredith slapped his legs.

"Mommy, go and have a shower! Then we'll go to bed!"

Meredith stood up and shook her head smiling "I'll be out in five minutes!"

"No! ten, mommy!"

"30 minutes to be sure that you washed yourself very well!" Derek smirked at her, while Sandy was nodding happy.

"five minutes and I am out!" Meredith smiled back at them while she was heading back to bathroom.

When she closed the door, Sandy grinned at Derek "Can we lock her in there?"

Derek laughed and gave her a strong his on forehead "I don't think that you want your mom to punish you again!"

Sandy just shook her head and turned her face to Derek's chest, enjoying Derek's comfort in her hair.

"Are you sleepy?" he asked her when he saw her closing her eyes.

Sandy stood up in her sit and rubbed her eyes "No!"

She was obviously tired, but she did not want to miss Derek's bedtime stories, especially since today was the first day after her two weeks without bedtime stories.

Then they heard the shower stopping, so Sandy stood up and grabbed Derek's hand "Let's go to stories!"

Derek laughed "Do you mean to bedtime stories?"

"Uh huh! Come on, we wait for mommy there!"

When they were heading to Sandy's bedroom, Meredith was coming out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. She bent down to her daughter and gave her a kiss on forehead "Don't start the stories without me, ok?" she told Sandy.

"Ok mommy, but hurry up!"

"Just a second!"

When Meredith came in Sandy's room, Sandy was jumping in bed, while Derek was searching for some stories in her bookcase.

Meredith grabbed Sandy's body and put her down on bed. She lifted up the covers so that Sandy can slide in, and then she got under it too holding her head on her chest.

Derek chose a various books and told Sandy the titles. Sandy shook her head on each title; even at her favorite story with the bunny.

"Come on Sandy choose one!" Meredith advised her.

"No! I want Derek to make up a story!"

"But I don't think I can Sandy!"

"Mommy can!"

"Then lets listen your mother's!"

Sandy continued to shake her head "No! Please Derek, you tell me a story!"

Derek laid down at their feet holding his head with one hand. "Ok, but if you will not like it, then we'll take a book!"

"Ok!"

"Ok then, here it goes: 'There were three very good friends, two girls and one boy…

"Me, Lucy and Tucker!" Sandy smiled wide at him

"That's right… who were living into a big white house with two levels … just like your dollhouse (Sandy giggled) and each of them was having its own bedroom. They were sharing everything between them: money, food, the housework…everything. One day, one of the girls had to clean the living room …"

"That was me!" Sandy giggled

Derek laughed too "Exactly, the other one had to clean the kitchen…"

"Lucy!" Sandy interrupted him again.

"Lucy… and the boy had to clean the bathroom, but …"

This time they were expecting Sandy to say Tucker, but she did not.

"What is that 'sex'?"

At her question, their faces dropped and Meredith cursed Izzie in her mind. Since none of them seemed to give her an answer soon, Sandy looked at each of them.

"Mommy, what is that 'sex'?"

Meredith gave Derek a desperate look for help.

"Sandy, now I was telling you a story, if you interrupt me I will stop and you will fell asleep without a story."

"Ok!" sandy resigned and placed her head back on her mother's chest.

Derek did not have to invent too much the story, because soon she fell into a deep sleep.

Meredith put her head down on pillow and then she tucked her in, giving her a goodnight kiss.

Later, Derek came out of shower already dressed in his pajama and went to bedroom. He closed the door behind him and slid under the covers next to Meredith, who was moisturizing her arms and hand with a cream. Its scent was driving him crazy each time he was holding her in his arms, so he breathed it in along her arm returning at her shoulder to kiss it.

She saw a weird smile on his face… like he would have wanted something from her.

"We are not having sex tonight, Derek! I am sorry!"

"I don't want sex!"

"Then what do you want?"

"I want to see how you were looking when you were pregnant with Sandy, and I want to see some photos of Sandy's as a baby!"

Meredith sighed and put the cream back on the nightstand. "Derek, please! We talked about this! Not now!"

"Meredith, I am just asking you to show me some photos, not to talk to me about that! I am not interested to see her father now, I want to see you and Sandy!"

"Derek…" she let out another sigh and looked pleading at him "Please, not now! Let's not ruin this day, ok?"

Derek was not happy at all with all this mystery, but Meredith was right… he did not want to ruin the day either. He pulled her down and brought her in her arms, so that she can snuggle as she always does.

"I love you Meredith! You know that, right?"

"I know and I love you too Derek!" Meredith answered, keeping her face in his neck and making herself more comfortable in his arms.

He felt her sleeping very soon; they were all very exhausted, but the entire day started to flashback in his mind. He was smiling wide as he was remembering Sandy's excitement each time she was receiving a present or when she blew out the candles with her mother and her entire loveliness. Then, he remembered the argument with Meredith, her tears, Sandy's angry look and now this… her refuse to show him photos from that time.

Mark's words pumped in his mind in that moment _"This kind of woman has a history… a history that includes a man… you don't need complications Derek!"_

Mark was right but it is too late! He has to face the complications because he is already too in love with her!

Derek closed his eyes and released out his last thought through a sigh. He fell asleep feeling his neck tickled by her breath.

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**Thank you so much for your comments! I hope that you like this chapter! In the next one it will be revealed the mystery regarding Sandy's father. Please R&R! **

25


	6. She is my daughter now part1

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 6- She is my daughter now and I am her mommy now**

Another hobby of Sandy, besides the stories was to rebuild the puzzles; for her hobby, her mother was always buying her new-puzzled stories when they were out for shopping. In almost every night, before sleep and the bedtime story, Sandy was emptying a new box spreading the pieces into a corner of her room, or she was continuing with the one that she had started. She was too proud to ask for her mother's help when she was having troubles with matching the pieces and that is why sometimes she was working on one for days.

"_Mommy! Come please!"_

"What is it Sandy?"

"_Come mommy! I lost a piece from my puzzle!"_

Meredith put the last folded clothes in her closet and letting out a sigh, she rested her forehead on the closet's door.

"_Mommy!"_

"I am coming Sandy!"

Meredith got out of her room and turning to left, she entered in Sandy's room, where she found her daughter searching desperately on floor between toys her missing piece.

"Sandy, what did I tell you to take care of them when you are leaving them out of their box?"

"Help me look for it mommy, please!" Sandy did not seem to care too much about her mother's reproach and kept searching around her.

Meredith set down on floor in front of the others pieces from puzzle and picked up their box.

"Let's see! Here it says that the puzzle has 24 pieces! Let's count these ones from down here!"

Sandy came fast, set kneeled near her mother, sustaining her body with the hands on her own legs, and paying attention to her mother's counting.

"There are all 24 here sweetie, none is missing!"

"But I cannot put them right!" Sandy complained with a very sad look on her face that impressed Meredith.

"Do you need help?"

Sandy slid her both hands from her leg to between them and acted shy. She was embarrassed to ask help, but this time she felt that she will not be able to solve this one by her own, so she nodded.

Meredith arranged Sandy's ponytail kissing in the same time her temple "Let's see where the problem is!"

She gave a careful look to the picture that Sandy was supposed to reproduce and then at her pieces. Indeed, a part of the house's roof was missing. After a closer look, she smiled satisfied when she discovered where the problem was.

"Look sweetie, you put the piece in tree and you should have put it on roof!"

Now Sandy was feeling more embarrassed and hide her face in chest, covering around it with her arms.

"Oh…Come on sweetie!" Meredith tried to pull Sandy to her, but she opposed. Then, she bent to her ear "Maybe the wind blew it and sent on tree!" She sure knew how to make her feel better.

Sandy looked up at her mother and seeing her smiling face, her face lighted up instantly "It was a strong wind!" she said with a more cheerful tone.

"Yes sweetie, it was a strong wind! Now let's wash our hands and let's go and have dinner! Probably Derek has already finished the dinner.

Sandy nodded and stood up taking her mother's hand and heading outside the room.

In kitchen, Derek was finishing with the table's setting when Meredith and Sandy came in. Sandy ran and set down on her chair analyzing everything that Derek was putting on table. She grabbed a fork and started to scratch a napkin with it.

"Sandy! What are you doing?" Meredith took the fork from her hand "We use the fork to eat not to play with it plus, you can hurt yourself with it!"

Sandy gave her an innocent face "I am sorry! Derek, what do we have for dinner?"

"Chicken soup and mashed potatoes with gravy" and saying that Derek place a big bowl in the middle of the table.

Meredith filled Sandy's plate and put it in front of her and then she took hers and Derek's plates. While she was filling her plate, Sandy put the spoon in her soup and took a sip to taste it.

"It's delicious Derek!"

Derek smiled happy at her and gave her a kiss before sitting down on her right.

"Sandy, wait for everyone to sit down, please!"

"Yes mommy!" and she put the spoon down waiting for Meredith to sit down too.

Being very hungry, Sandy stood quiet during the entire dinner and enjoyed her food; Meredith and Derek were talking mostly about hospital, so she stopped paying attention to them.

After dinner, she ran back to her bedroom, letting the grown-ups to clean the table.

"Mommy, Derek, come!" she was calling them from her bedroom.

They had just been finishing the cleaning in kitchen and they were in the middle of a kissing session when Sandy called them and none of them could abstain himself not to groan.

"She really hates to know us kissing!" Derek was still holding Meredith in his arms and gave her one more kiss before letting her go.

"_Mommy, Derek!"_ Sandy was insisting.

Meredith pulled back from Derek's arms and tried to comfort him a little with a smile; she took his hand and went together to see where the fire was.

When she saw them coming in her room, Sandy stood up from floor and carrying two boxes she ran to greet them in the door's way.

"Let's make a puzzle together!" She proposed them, handing them in the same time the two boxes.

"Do you want us to do two tonight?" Meredith asked her as she was taking them from her.

"No mommy, these are for you and Derek and I will make another one! We'll have a contest and see who finishes first!"

Sandy returned at her place and set down in front of another puzzle. At first, Meredith looked questioning at Derek, but when she saw him going in motioning for her to come in too, she took a sit down and joined them.

"But Sandy, if you want a fair contest you should give us a small box like yours, with less pieces!" Derek twitted her when he saw that his and Meredith's box were having more pieces than Sandy's.

Sandy giggled and gave him a slickly smile, while she was opening her box "This are not difficult!"

Meredith and Derek smiled amused at each other and opened their boxes too.

They started to work on their own puzzle, Derek and Meredith pretending as if they were having troubles in solving it, while Sandy was giving them glances from time to time and she was smiling each time she saw them so clueless.

When she arranged the last piece, Sandy jumped up on her feet and started to dance in a very cute way, spinning around and shaking her bum and arms with funny moves that made Derek and Meredith to laugh very amused. "I won! I won!"

"We cannot compete with a champion!" Meredith affirmed to Derek.

"We sure can't"

At their compliments, Sandy stopped from dancing and giggling she came and set down next to her mommy "Do you want me to help you mommy?"

Meredith bent over to her and gave her a kiss "Please do! I cannot do it by my own!"

"Hey! It's not fair! Why are you helping her first? I don't want to be on the last place" Derek protested and pretended to be jealous.

"Because she is my mommy!" Sandy did not even bother to look at him when she said that and kept her attention over Meredith's puzzle.

At that, Meredith smirked at Derek and he rolled his eyes amused.

"You put them all wrong mommy!" Sandy twitted her.

Meredith pulled her to her and set her on her lap playing with her hair "That is why I have a smart daughter, to help me when I mess up the puzzle"

Sandy could not help herself not to giggle proud at her mother's new compliment and focused her attention over the puzzle.

In reality, it was not that difficult, so Sandy solve it very fast. She then saw Derek who was also pretending as he was having difficulties with his, so she moved to him. Same as Meredith, he placed her on his lap and let her help him. She finished his faster than Meredith's, and when she was done, she turned around to face him "You are better than mommy!"

"And this makes me smarter than your mommy, right?" then he gave Meredith a grin, that made her to throw with the box cover.

Derek caught it and smirked at her "You are jealous!"

Meredith shook her head smiling and started to pick up the pieces from her puzzle "Let's put them back into their boxes and then, Sandy you are going in bathroom!"

"Ok mommy!" Sandy left Derek's lap, went to her puzzle, and started to pick up its pieces and to put them back into their box.

When she saw someone standing in the door's frame Meredith jumped scared and let out a scream of fear.

"IZZIE!!!"

At Meredith's shout Derek and Sandy turned round scared too.

"Izzie! What are you doing here?"

"I brought some cupcakes and I used the spare key… I did not mean to scare you!"

"It's fine, but you could have made some noise so that we can hear you!" She came to Izzie and took the bag from her hands "Thank you for this! I'll take them in kitchen!"

"Ok! I am going back now! I'll see you tomorrow! Good night Sandy, Derek!"

Sandy was already up on her feet and near her mother "Good night Izzie!"

Meredith didn't walk her to door, since she was like a resident of that apartment too, so she went straight to kitchen closely followed by Sandy. She did not notice her until she put the cupcakes in kitchen.

"What is it Sandy?" She saw her looking like she was waiting for something.

"Mommy, can I have a cupcake…please!"

Sandy has always adored Izzie's cakes, and she could not abstain not to drool when Izzie was bringing them goodies.

She smiled at her and handed her the much-desired cup cake "Ok, but just one and then we are getting ready for bed!"

Sandy nodded happy and received the cupcake from her mother. She took a sit on table and started to eat from it with appetite.

"Do you want some milk too?"

Sandy nodded without taking her eyes from her snack and Meredith took out the milk from fridge. She poured some in glass and placed it in front of the little girls, and took a sit in the opposite side of the table, resting her chin in hands and watching content how Sandy was taking a sip from milk and small bits from her cup cake without taking her eyes from it.

Her contemplation over her daughter was so deep that she did not notice that Derek had come in.

He took a cupcake and coming behind Meredith, he showed it right in front of her eyes, making her to come back to reality.

"Hey!" she looked up at him smiling and lifted her face up to him a little so that she can receive a quick kiss.

Derek set down on the chair next to her, moving it very close to hers so that he can embrace her waist. He leaned to her eat, showing her again the cupcake that he was holding "Would you want me to share this delicious cupcake with you?"

As answer to his question, she leaned to it and took a small bite while Derek gave her another quick kiss on neck.

When she saw that her mother and Derek were sharing one cupcake, Sandy could not abstain her cute giggle "I am not sharing my cupcake with you mommy!"

They looked at her and started to laugh when they saw that in reality she was not having any cupcake to share since she had almost eaten it all.

"Do you want us to share our cupcake with you, Sandy?" Derek asked her.

Sandy shook her head smiling "You can share that and I will take another one!"

Meredith laughed and ripped in two parts the cupcake that she and Derek were sharing "Just this half if you want!" she told her handing her the half.

Sandy didn't look very satisfied, but she accepted it.

After their small snack, Meredith gave a bath to Sandy, brushed her teeth and her hair and then she took her in bed.

"What story do you want me to read you today?" she asked her as Sandy was slipping under covers.

"I don't want a story, I want to watch animals"

Meredith knew what she wanted; the illustrated book with animals, which along with the bunny's story, had become her favorite book. She took it from the bookstand and gave it to her.

"Do you want me to stay with you sweetie?"

Sandy opened the book and started to look over her, shaking her head to her mother "No, mommy!"

"Ok, then I will come later to check on you!"

The pictures from that book had already captivated Sandy, so she did not say anything more to her mother.

Meredith went out of Sandy's room and almost hit in Derek, who was just coming to them.

"I was just coming to you! Is she sleeping already?"

"No, but today she doesn't want a story!"

"She doesn't? ...That is weird!"

"Yeah… at least now we have a little more time for us!" she smiled suggestively and dragged him to living room.

The couch was their stop, where they took a sit resting themselves on each other. Derek turned on the TV and started to navigate through channels, not wanting to see anything in particular. Meredith put her head down on his chest, and same as Sandy, she was relaxing when Derek was running his hand through her hair. It had been an exhausting day for both of them, crowded hospital, the terrific energy that Sandy had that day, her new pleasure to be chased by Meredith and Derek, so now all they were wishing for was silence and relaxation. But the moment they were wishing for didn't last too long because the dynamic little girl, had already made her appearance in living room.

She came in running and stop in front of them; they pulled apart, so that Meredith can help her to sit down between them. Once she was up near them, Sandy snuggled with her head to Meredith and her feet to Derek.

"You cannot sleep sweetie?" Meredith asked as she was brushing her hair with a hand.

Sandy shook her head and started to pay attention to the documentary that Derek had found on a channel.

"Do you want us to tell you a story?" Derek asked her.

Again, Sandy just shook head, which made Meredith and Derek to look a little weird at each other. Sandy stood up in her sit, but just to place herself more comfortable in her mother's lap, laying on it.

When Meredith took her in her arms, Sandy started to giggle at her "I am a baby mommy!"

"You are? I thought you are a young lady now!"

Sandy shook her head "I am baby! I want you to rock me my, like a baby!"

Meredith pulled her closer to her chest and started to move her back and forward placing in the same time repetitive kisses on her face, that were making Sandy to laugh very happy. After just a few rocks, Meredith stopped to catch back her breath "I have a very heavy baby! I should feed her less" Meredith looked at Derek and pretended that she is serious. "And I am not going to give her any cupcake!"

When she heard that, Sandy stood up from her mother's arms and started to look panicked at them, especially when she saw Derek approving with a nod at what her mommy has just said.

She took her position in sit between them and stood there quiet and watching on TV.

Derek and Meredith smiled at each other content that they had managed to tease her; then Meredith pulled her back into her lap and took her in her arms pressing hard a kiss on her forehead. Her mother's cuddle made Sandy to giggle again, but this time she just snuggled at her chest and enjoyed the affection that she was receiving from her mother.

Derek had leaned back on the opposite side of the couch watching their moment. Again, he could not help to imagine how Meredith was looking when she was pregnant and at their moments as mother and daughter. He knew that Meredith will confess to him one day, he was just hoping that that day will come soon.

Sandy fell asleep in her mother's arms, with her face in her chest and a hand in her hand. As usual before bed, hair long hair had been let free, and now it was covering a part of her face. Meredith moved the hair behind her ear and gave her one more kiss, before to stand up from couch.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Derek asked when he saw her trying to stand up.

"Please… she really is not that easy anymore!"

Derek stood up and came to pick Sandy up from her mother's arm.

They took her in her bedroom and Meredith pulled over the covers, so that Derek can put her down, tucking her in then and giving her a 'goodnight' kiss.

Derek took her by waist and leaded her outside Sandy's room, closing the door behind them.

"I have an idea!" she told him smiling.

"Will I like it?"

"You will love it!" she gave him a quick kiss and entered in bathroom, closing the door.

Derek stood there near bathroom, looking at the door that Meredith had disappeared behind it. It had passed two months since Sandy's birthday and almost 4 months since they have met and been together, though Meredith was not showing any intention to talk with him about Sandy's father. He was not worried to find out something very bad about him, he was worried that Meredith was still not feeling able to share it with him. He did not push her and gave her the time that she needed; he was deeply in love with her and he would not have wanted to lose her or Sandy, so he trusted that she will open herself to him one day.

Meredith opened the door and showed up wrapped into a towel and smiling at him. When he saw her standing there in the doorway and looking so sexy, he could not abstain not to go to her and kiss her with passion, removing in the same time the towel from her body.

Meredith put her arms around his neck and dragged him inside, pushing the door behind them.

When he stepped in and Meredith turned off the light, Derek discovered the perfect atmosphere that Meredith had created in there. Small candles were lighting around the bathtub, the bathtub was filled with bubbles and the bathroom was all drowned into a lavender scent.

Meredith released Derek's neck and stepped in bathtub under the amazed look of Derek's.

"I did not bring you in here to watch!" she told him, when she saw that he was standing Derek smiling and just watching.

Derek pulled out over his head the sweater he was wearing, and then he unbuttoned his pants and pulled them off together with the boxers. He got in behind Meredith and he pulled her to him so that she can rest on him, while he was kissing and massaging her neck. Meredith was releasing the stress and the exhaustion with each moan that she was letting to come out at Derek's caresses.

"You and your daughter did not seem the have the same tastes in aromas!"

"No, we don't!"

"I like yours better!"

"Liar!"

Derek moved his kisses on the other side of Meredith's neck "ok, you caught me! ... but I do love both!"

Meredith took his arms, held them over her abdomen, and rested her on back on Derek's chest. Derek stopped from giving her kisses and just rested his chin on her shoulder, closing his eyes and enjoying the moment that he was sharing with her in her bathtub surrounded by bubbles and the lavender perfume.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Meredith had napped, so he started to kiss her again. Meredith stirred up when she felt his lips on her skin and spread her legs over the bathtub causing a small flood over it.

"Do you want to be carried to bed too, as Sandy?"

"Do you think that you can do it?"

"If you would be 4 as her, then yes could do it!"

For his little joke, Meredith slapped the arm he was holding over her chest and removed it, so that she can stand up.

She took a towel and wiped her body with it and then she put on the bathrobe and threw another towel to Derek.

They put on some comfortable clothes and got in bed, snuggling into each other's arms; Meredith resting her head in his chest, her leg between his and her arms between their bodies, while Derek was having an arm slid under her neck, the other one over her waist and his chin resting on her forehead.

He gave her one more kiss on forehead and snuggled her a little more "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Meredith whispered sleepy from his chest.

This was their small ritual before to fall asleep.

In the next morning, Meredith woke up feeling a hand traveling along her body. She opened her eyes and saw Derek watching her smiling. When he saw her opening the eyes, Derek bent to her and gave her a kiss, caressing her cheeks with his thumb.

"Morning!"

Meredith turned with her face to him and started to play with the hair from his chest and to give him kisses on it from place to place. Her touches and her kisses were making him to squeeze her skin and then to move his hand up at her neck, lifting up the hair and kissing under it. He was not satisfied just with the neck, so he claimed her mouth too and started to rub her tongue and the entire mouth with his.

"You are often horny in the morning Derek"

"This is because I wake up next to you very often in morning, so you cannot blame!"

Meredith smiled and pulled his head closer to her face "I am not blaming you…. At all!"

"Good, then let me satisfy our needs!" and he moved his attention lower, at her neck and collar bone gently nipping them and making her to pull him by his hair and to moan soft of pleasure.

Their clothes have been soon removed fast from their bodies and thrown all over around the bed.

His hands had not left her breasts and waist until he reach on them; he was gently defining the form of her breasts running his hands under them and then over them and over their nipples, kissing and sucking them each time his hands were leaving them and moving down under them. He knew that he had touched Meredith's sensitive spot, so took enough time to enjoy their taste in his mouth and to make Meredith to want him more.

Indeed, after sometime spend it around her breasts and with her hands running all over his body, he could see that both of them were ready; so he returned up to her face to take again her mouth under his possession, while his hands were pulling apart her legs and lifting her thighs up. He was sustaining himself on one arm next to her head and with his other free hand, he was helping her hip to move faster and faster.

He loved to see her wincing under the pleasure he was giving her; the way that she was moaning his name, the way her hands were embracing him and caressing him and the way she was looking into his eyes when she was opening them from time to time were making him to love her and to want her more and to realize how in love he was with her.

Derek laid down next to her and grabbed Meredith to bring her in his arms. Meredith snuggled in there, hiding her face in his neck breathing in his smell and caressing him in the same time with her breath.

"I love to wake up with you in the morning!" Meredith muttered from his neck.

"So do I!" he pushed himself away from her a little, so that he can see her face, and gave her soft kiss "Do you want me to show it to you?"

"Again?"

Derek nodded suggestively.

"To be honest… you did not convinced me from the first time!" she smiled and dragged him over her.

Derek rolled over on top of her and moved the hair away from her face "I thought so too!"

When Derek was about to produce another explosion to his and Meredith's bodies, Meredith grabbed his face with both face and looked at him panicked, making him to stop a little.

"What is it?"

"Do you hear anything?" she asked him gasping.

"Yeah… I can feel my blood boiling in my brain, but this is natural in these circumstances," Derek laughed at her.

This did not amuse her too and continued to look at him serious "No Derek! It's Sandy… she is awake!"

"And so we will be too, so let's go on!"

"Derek stop! We didn't lock the door!"

"Then let me finish now!"

"Ok, but fast; it is already too much that she keeps asking 'what is that sex'!"

"If she comes in, she will find out the answer on her own and she will see a demonstration too!" Derek laughed at her.

For this, Meredith slapped hard his and motioned him to hurry up.

Derek pushed forward his moves and soon both of them were feeling the world-shaking. After just a few seconds of breath recovery, Meredith pushed him away from her and got out of bed to look for her clothes.

"Wow… I think this was the most rushed sex that I have ever had!" Derek laughed while he was watching her getting dressed.

"Like it or not, you will have to get used with it, if you live with a 4 years old child in the same house. Get dressed and take a shower; I will go check on Sandy!" and saying that she left the room.

When she entered in Sandy's room, Meredith found her jumping happy in her bed.

"Mommy!" Sandy shouted when she saw her coming in, and stopped from jumping and reached her arms forth so that she can receive a hug from her mommy.

"What are you doing here baby?" Meredith came to her bed and hugged her.

Sandy wrapped her legs around Meredith's waist and her arms around her neck, letting herself completely in her arms. "Morning mommy!"

"Morning sweetie! I guess that you had a good sleep!"

"Uh huh! Is Derek awake too!"

"Yes he is and he is taking a shower right now!" Meredith took a sit on bed placing Sandy more comfortable on her lap and started to smooth her hair to back.

Sandy stood up on her knees in her lap and gave her a hug that took Meredith by surprise.

"Ohh… what is this for!"

"I had a dream last night!" Sandy placed again on her lap and looked up at her smiling.

"What was the dream about?"

"Derek had bought a big house for us to live together in it!"

"Let me guess… it was near a lake!"

Sandy nodded happy "How did you know?"

Meredith laughed and bent to her ear "I was in that dream too, remember?"

Sandy giggled at her mother's response "Can we buy a house like that mommy?"

"Maybe we will one day, but now… you young lady have to get dressed and mommy has to shower and get dress too"

Sandy stood up from her lap and ran to her closet. As usual, Sandy was telling her mother what clothes to give her from there. After a few minutes of changing minds and Meredith's desperation, Sandy chose her clothes for that day: a pair of jeans, a blue blouse and a pair of black shoes. Meredith let her change by herself and went to see what Derek was doing.

When she came out of Sandy's room, she saw him just coming out from shower. She smiled rakishly at him when she saw how sexy he was looking with his hair wet and wearing just a towel around his waist. Derek returned the same smile and came to her taking her in his arms and starting to kiss her around the neck again.

"Ok… take it easy Derek! Now Sandy is awake and she is ready to storm out from her room!"

Derek pushed her back a little "Don't worry, I am done… for this morning at least!" he winked and let her go.

Meredith just smiled and went to bathroom.

When Sandy was done, she came out of her bedroom calling for Meredith "Mommy!" she gave a look around the living room and because she did not see her, she started to call her again, this time louder "Mommy!"

"_She is in bathroom Sandy!"_

When she heard Derek's voice coming from kitchen, Sandy ran fast to him and stopped just when she was right behind him.

"Morning Derek!" she looked up at him smiling and keeping a finger in her mouth.

Derek turned around to see the little person that was waiting behind him to receive his attention. He bent to her and picked her up placing several kisses on her cheek, that were making her giggle.

"Morning sweetie!" and he started to smooth her hair that had messed up while she was shaking her head during Derek's kisses.

She let out a big gasp when she saw what Derek was preparing for breakfast "Pancakes!" she yelled with excitement.

Derek laughed and giving her one more kiss on forehead, he put her down "But you have to promise me that you will defend me when your mom will snap at me!"

"I promise Derek!" Sandy nodded very happy.

"Now go and wait for your mommy in your room to come and brush your hair" when Sandy turned around to leave, Derek stopped her "Oh… and don't tell her what I am preparing for breakfast, ok?"

"Uh huh" Sandy looked back and nodded.

Meredith finished the shower, dressed herself and went to help Sandy with the hair.

While she was arranging Sandy's hair in a ponytail and she was telling her something about how easy it would be if she would short it a little, Sandy looked back at her "Can you hurry up mommy; I want to eat the breakfast?"

Sandy was obviously not listening on what her mother was talking about and her thoughts were at Derek's breakfast.

Meredith felt the smell of pancakes since she came out from bathroom and she knew what was with Sandy's impatience to have the breakfast. She just smiled and hurried to finish her hair without any other comment. When she released her from her hands, Sandy ran right away to kitchen, followed closely by her mother.

Sandy came in to kitchen and took a sit on table, waiting for Derek to serve her the delicious breakfast.

"Pancakes Derek?" Meredith tried to adopt a serious tone, but her amused face was betraying it.

"Hey, it is only your fault!" he said in defense and smiled suggestively at her.

Meredith shook her head smiling and took a sit next to Sandy.

He first served Sandy, who was almost drooling when he put the plate in front of her.

"Do you want syrup for them Sandy?" he asked her.

"Uh huh" she just nodded without taking her eyes from plate.

"Which one do you want?"

"My favorite Derek!"

"Your favorite? I don't know which one is your favorite!" he tried to make it sound serious and looked at Meredith smiling.

For the first time since she received the plate, Sandy looked up at him angry "Derek!"

"I was just kidding Sandy! I know that the apple one is your favorite!" he continued to tease her.

"No!" Sandy yelled annoyed.

Derek took her favorite syrup and put it in front of her kissing her head "There you go sweetie… strawberries!"

Sandy looked up at him happy "You know!"

"Of course I know! I am a brain surgeon remember?"

Sandy giggled and handed the syrup to her mother to pour it over her pancakes.

Sandy ate her breakfast in silence, enjoying on each bite she was taking from Derek's pancakes.

"Mommy, can I have a cupcake too?" she asked her mother after she had finished with the pancakes.

"No Sandy! You already ate too much sugar! Just a glass of milk if you want!"

Sandy knew that she will not convince her so she dropped it resignedly. "Ok!"

Later everyone was ready to go and start a new day. Because it was raining outside, Meredith put Sandy the raincoat and opened the door so that she can go and call the elevator. As usual, Derek drove them to hospital with his car; Meredith's being used just when they were working in different shifts.

Derek was running late, so he could not go with Meredith to drop Sandy at daycare; he just gave her a kiss and a goodbye, telling her that they will meet at lunch.

"Now be a good girl Sandy, ok? Try not to make too many devilries!" Meredith kneeled in front of her and looking into her eyes.

Sandy nodded "I promise mommy!" and she leaned on her and gave her kiss "I love you mommy!"

Meredith returned her kiss "I love you too sweetie!"

"Tell Derek that I love him too!"

"I will! I will see you at lunch!"

"Ok, bye mommy!"

Meredith gave her one last kiss and stood up "Bye Sandy!"

In that morning, Addison and Meredith performed a surgery together on 5 years old boy, which had fell on some stairs after what he had run from his parents in park.

"Call it Dr. Wilson!" Addison asked with a low voice the intern who had assisted them at that surgery.

"Time of dead: 11:24" she said.

Meredith stood there watching stunned the small lifeless body that was lying in front of her "You drove with your family back home, you go out to play in park to play with your son…and…"

Addison looked at her and saw the tears that had flooding her eyes "Meredith" she tried to comfort her and to stop her own tears to come out.

"…and you don't have any family or any son to take home."

"Meredith please… don't do this to yourself! … I'll tell the parents."

She gave her friend a small comforting hug, and then went to scrub out and tell the horrible news to the boy's parents.

Meredith stood for a while in the scrub room, resting her body over the sink and trying to pull herself together. She finally wiped her tear and went out from there.

As she was coming out, she received a call on pager that made her feel like the world was collapsing around her and her soul was shattering in billion of pieces, killing her slowly and painful.

-----------------

**This was the bright & shiny part! The second part will be up on Monday! Please R&R.**


	7. She is my daughter now part2

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 6 – She is my daughter and I am her mommy now –part 2**

She was running fast, but still she was having the feeling that everything is moving in slow motion around her; the hallways were very lightsome, but she perceived them dark. Meredith pressed desperately on some buttons to call the elevator, but the seconds seemed minutes and she wanted to get down in pit faster, so she gave up on elevator and ran fast to the staircase. The hurry and the desperation was so big that she did not noticed that she had run into Derek, almost knocking him down.

"Hey, take it easy! Where is the fire?" Derek asked her, but without having the chance to see her horrified look.

Meredith did not stop and continued to ran, "It's Sandy!"

When he heard that, Derek instantly followed her and after 5 floors they were down to pit. She stopped dead in her track a few feet away from Dr. Bailey who was having her attention over a small girl who was crying on a stretcher.

Derek had run ahead before her and tried to calm down the little girl.

"Where is my mommy, Derek!" she was crying and asking desperately for her mommy.

"I am here baby!" Meredith managed to pull herself together and went to her, taking her hand and kissing her.

"It hurts badly! Make it disappear mommy!"

"I will baby… I will! Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere" Sandy was crying, obviously ripping by pain.

"What happened?" Derek asked Bailey.

"It seems that an older boy pushed her and she fell with the back over a railing while they were playing outside!"

In that moment, Meredith looked with more panic at them, and saw Bailey nodding and confirming her fear.

Derek had first examined her neurological signs to identify any possible brain damage, and then he moved down to her bottom feet and rubbing them, he saw that there was no response from her right foot. "Let's go up for a spinal radiography!"

All three, together with a nurse took Sandy up to neurology to run her some tests. Meredith tried all the way to there to keep herself calm and to calm down Sandy, who was still crying, but she knew that Sandy will not calm down if she sees her crying. Meredith was repetitively wiping her tears, but it was useless because the tears continued to flood her eyes.

They arrived to radiology and Meredith went inside to try to calm her down, while Derek, Bailey and the radiologist were watching them from behind the window.

"Mommy, what are we doing here?" Sandy asked her scared and still tearing.

Meredith took her hand to kiss it and smoothed her hair gently "They will check to see were the pain is so that we can fix it; you will go into a small tunnel and you will have to stay still ok?"

"Is it going to hurt?"

"No, sweetie I promise it won't! You'll be out of there right away so try to stay brave, ok baby?"

"Ok mommy!"

"Now stay still here and mommy will go behind that window to watch you!"

Sandy nodded and closed her eyes; this showed to Meredith how scared Sandy was. She gave her one more kiss on forehead and went to Derek and the others doctors.

As she came to them, Derek stood up and took her in his arms, trying to comfort her. She collapsed into his arms sobbing and hanging herself tight to him.

"Now you have to be brave for her too Meredith! We will find out soon what is it wrong and how can we fix it!"

"Dr. Shepherd, Meredith!"

Bailey's pity voice made them to turn around to them instantly and with an even more frighten look on Meredith's face; they looked at the screen that was showing the images, and once they saw them, Meredith started to sob harder in Derek's arms.

"I can do this Meredith; I promise that I can fix this … she will be fine I promise!" he was doing his best to encourage her even if he was frighten too. Her third lumbar vertebra was displaced and this had caused the cramp of her right leg.

"We can do it Meredith!" Derek took her face into his hands "Now wipe your tears and let's take her into the OR, ok?" he was also helping her to wipe her face rubbing it with both thumbs.

Meredith nodded and as she pulled herself away from his arms to go to her daughter; Derek and Bailey followed her inside to move Sandy back on stretcher.

"What is it wrong mommy?" Sandy asked her mother. She was no longer crying, but her eyes were still wet and her look scared.

"There is a small problem at your back baby; you will go now with Dr. Bailey and Derek to fix it!"

"You will be there too, right mommy?"

"I will!"

"It still hurts mommy…badly!" her tears had started to wet again her little face and the hair around her ears, as she was squeezing hard because of the pain her mother's hand.

Meredith was felt herself unable to say something in that moment; she was not feeling strong enough to comfort her daughter.

"We will make the pain to disappear soon, I promise!" Derek took her other hand, smoothing repetitively her hair; he gave her kiss and the most important thing… a smile as encouragement.

Sandy nodded slowly and continued to squeeze Meredith's hand because of the pain; all that Meredith could feel herself able to do in that moment to comfort her daughter's suffer, was to squeeze her hand back.

"Meredith you know you cannot go in!"

"Derek, she needs me! I promised her that I will be there with her!"

Both of them were in the scrub room in that moment; Derek was washing his hands, while Meredith was begging him to let her assist to surgery. Derek took a towel to wipe his hands and a nurse was helping him to get ready, when he looked at Meredith "You can stay with her until the anesthesia will put her to sleep, but then you will have get out!"

"Fine!" Saying that Meredith stepped into the OR, where Sandy had just been prepared for surgery.

"Mommy!" Sandy called her when she saw her coming in. "What are they doing to me?" she was very scared by the entire commotion that was producing around her.

Meredith went straight to her and took a sit at her head, near the anesthesiologist, "They are getting you ready for surgery baby; Derek and Dr. Bailey will come in here soon to start."

"I am scared mommy!"

"I know sweetie, but you won't feel anything!"

Just then, Derek and Dr. Bailey came in too ready to start.

"Are you ready Sandy?" Derek asked her when he came to see her.

Sandy nodded but she also took a weird look "You look ugly like this Derek!"

At her sweet remark, everybody got a small smile on their faces, reducing this way the tension that was in there.

Derek bent to her "You will find me attractive again later, so I am not worried". With this, he managed to bring a small smile on her face.

"It's time for us to start Meredith!" he told her.

Meredith nodded and took the mask "Sandy, mommy is going to put you this mask on and then you will fall asleep and you will have again the dream that you had last night!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sweetie, I am very sure"

"And you will stay with me here, right?"

She looked up at Derek to see him disapproving "Yes sweetie; you will find me here when you'll wake up!"

"Ok"

Meredith gave her one more kiss "Could count for us until 11?"

Sandy shook her head "Until 12!"

Meredith smiled gentle at her and nodded "Until 12; you can start now!"

"1…2…3…4" and before she reached to five she fell asleep.

"Meredith, please wait for us outside!" Bailey told her, when she saw that Meredith remained by her daughter's side.

"Meredith please!" Derek also pleaded her.

She stood up from there wiping her tears and smoothing one more time Sandy's forehead. She gave one more look back to the doctors who were now operating on her little daughter and stepped out from the OR, stopping in the scrub room and watching them between tears. She did not seem to pay attention to Derek's motions to go from there; her eyes were glued to her daughter.

Addison found her in there when she came to join the others in the OR.

"Meredith, you should not stay here! Izzie and Christina are outside, go out and wait with them there!"

Meredith continued to stay stunned in front of the window and just her eyes, that were tearing, were making her look like she is still alive.

"Come on Mere!" Addison took her gently by her shoulders and leaded her outside, where indeed Izzie and Christina were waiting.

They took her from Addison and settled her down between them.

"Why?" her sobs started to speak shaky "She is only 4… why does she have to go through so much pain? She is just… just a child…an innocent child; why the life keeps hitting her so cruel?"

Izzie pulled her into her arms caressing her gently "It was just an accident Meredith! Accidents happen with no reason!"

"But why always to her?"

"She will be ok; this was just a minor accident … it doesn't mean anything" Izzie continued to comfort her.

Every second and every minute seemed millions time longer than normal, and these were making her memories to play back in a low motion and forcing her to feel like she was living again that nightmare.

She could not say for sure how long it took until Derek came out to her; she could have said that 24 hours, when in reality were less than two hours. During these hours her body had rested limp on Izzie, but when she saw Derek's stature coming to them, she immediately recovered her blood and stood up to receive his news.

Derek's smile brought her back to life and gave her a little hope that everything is and is going to be fine.

"Come and wake her up!" he leaded her inside, where the others doctors were waiting for Sandy to wake up and see the result.

She returned to the place that she has left last time, at her daughter's face, cupping it with both hands and giving her a kiss.

"Sandy, wake up sweetie; mommy is here!" she started whisper to her ear "Come on sweetie is time to wake up!"

Sandy seemed to wake up, reaching with her hand after her mommy; Meredith took it and held it tight "Open your eyes Sandy"

"Mommy!" came out as a whisper from her.

"I'm here baby, now show me your beautiful eyes too!"

As she opened her eyes, Sandy looked up at her mother with smile on her face like those that she gives her after each sleep.

"I had that dream again mommy!" her voice was sounding now happy as usual; she seemed to have forgotten the accident and now she was waking up in her bed in her bedroom.

"It was better this one?"

"Yes mommy!"

Meredith's face lighted up in the moment that she saw her smile again and she heard her voice.

"I am better now, mommy?" Apparently, she did not forget what happened and where she was.

Meredith looked up at Derek with fear; her daughter was fine emotionally, but she did not know how her physical state was. The fear lasted just a second, as it took her to look up to Derek, because in the moment that she saw him nodding she released it with a sigh.

"Does it still hurt sweetie?"

"A little… but something tickles my foot!"

Derek came to her, after he removed the mask and the scrub cap, and bent down to her face to give her a kiss "That was me tickling you, Sandy and this means that you are going to get well soon"

"I'm sleepy mommy!"

"Then let's find you a nice room to sleep in it, ok?"

"Can't we go home?"

"Not right now sweetie!" Sandy nodded and closed her eyes.

-----------

Meredith did not left her by her side not even for a second; Derek, Addison, Izzie, Christina, Bailey, they all came to check her from time to time to see if she is awake.

"Meredith, I know that this is not the right time to remind you this but… you have to tell Derek! Tell him everything and see what happens!"

In that moment, just Addison and Meredith were watching Sandy in her room while she was sleeping.

Meredith was standing on a chair, by Sandy's side holding her small hand in hers. At Addison's advice, she shook her head, without taking her eyes away from Sandy "I won't! I will never tell him and to anyone else."

"Meredith, you cannot hide it from him if you really love him and you do love him, right?"

Meredith continued to shake her head "I can't!"

"You can't what, Meredith? To love me, to trust me?"

Their eyes looked up at door to see Derek standing in the doorway looking at her aggrieved and angry.

"Derek" Meredith stood up to went to him, but he did not wait for her to answer and stormed out from room

"Derek" Meredith followed him outside, but Addison's call stopped her to go after him.

"Meredith, Sandy is waking up!"

Meredith returned to her daughter and saw her waking up.

"Mommy!"

"I'm here sweetie!"

Sandy opened her eyes and looked at her "My back hurts mommy!"

"It will pass soon! I'll give you something for pain!"

"Hey princess!"

"Addie!" Sandy gave her a smile.

"You are a very brave girl Sandy!"

Sandy just smiled and returned her look to Meredith "Where is Derek, mommy?"

"Derek has some work right now and he cannot come to see you!"

"But he will come later, right?"

Meredith looked at Addison, who was disapproving with a motion from her head.

"He will!" Meredith was not sure that he will come back later, but she was hoping.

She tried to find him, but he was always into a surgery or a consult; he was avoiding her and the most painful thing, he was avoiding Sandy too.

Sandy received many visits that afternoon, including from her best friends, Lucy and Tucker, and they were lifting her spirit up. Izzie had brought her all kind of goodies and everyone was spoiling her, with Meredith approval.

With all this, she was still asking for Derek from time to time and she was getting a sad face each time Meredith was telling her that he is busy.

In that night, Meredith laid down on bed next to Sandy cuddling her. At one point, she felt her crying so, she pulled her closer to her and turned her face to see her.

"What is it sweetie? Is the pain?"

Sandy shook her head "No; it is Derek. He doesn't love me anymore because I am sick!"

Meredith was feeling guilty, because she was the one who pushed Derek away from them and now Sandy was suffering.

"It's not true baby; he will come to see you!"

"It is already night mommy, maybe he went home to sleep and he did not come to see me at all!"

"Do you want me to tell you a story?"

"No… I want to sleep!"

Meredith moved closer, so that she can cuddle her and to feel her tiny body next to hers. She listen Sandy sobbing, and her each sob was pressing harder on her soul making her to regret more and more what she had said earlier that day. She was ready now to tell him everything; she knew that it was the moment of true. It might be too late even if she tells him, but she needs to get rid of that feeling of guilt that was suffocating her each time she was with him. All that she was looking for now was a chance…. a chance to make him listen to her.

The night was long and sleepless; she managed to fell asleep only when the sun had started to rise. The sound of an opening door ripped her from the rest that she needed it so much.

"Hey! I am sorry, I didn't mean to wake you!"

"Hi Izz! It's fine!" she looked over to her daughter who was still sleeping deeply; her forehead seemed ridged, like she was having a painful dream.

Meredith stood up in her sit and gently she removed the hand that Sandy was holding over hers, and then she got out of bed.

"How is she?"

Meredith shook her head and let out a hard sigh.

"He didn't come at all?"

"No"

"We went over to your apartment last night, but he wasn't there"

"I screwed it bad this time and now Sandy suffers; I haven't even told him yet about her."

"Meredith, he reacted like this because of what you have said; I am sure that he will understand your reasons once you will talk to him"

"I don't know Izz! I want to tell him, but now I cannot find me… he avoids me"

"He has to come soon to see Sandy since she is his patient."

Meredith just shrugged and rubbed her face with both hands.

"You should at least change your scrubs Meredith!"

Meredith looked down and just then, she realized that she haven't changed her scrubs and she was looking messy.

"Mommy"

Meredith turned around to see her daughter looking at her with the same painful eyes.

"Morning sweetie!" she bent down to kiss her forehead trying in the same time to remove from there the signs of her sadness.

"I am hungry mommy!"

"Well this is why I came!" Izzie came over to her and bent to kiss her "Morning Sandy"

"Hi Izzie!" Sandy saluted her in a manner that she had never done it before…sad.

Izzie and Meredith joined her for breakfast trying to cheer her up a little. When Izzie and Meredith were picking up the leftovers, Bailey and four interns came in.

"Good morning Sandy!"

Sandy just smiled at her as response.

"How is she doing?" she asked Meredith, when she so that Sandy was not in the mood to talk.

"Physically she is recovering nicely"

"She will be again Sandy we know" Bailey tried to encourage her. "Tucker sent you this" she handed to Sandy the bag that she was holding "He will come later to visit you!"

Sandy opened the bag to look inside, and then looked up at her with a small smile "Chocolate chips"

"Your favorite" Bailey winked.

Sandy nodded and looked at her mother "Can I have one mommy?"

"Sure! Thank you" she looked grateful at Bailey.

All the eyes pointed the door when they heard it opening.

"Morning!" Derek came in greeting everyone and went over to Sandy "Morning sweetie!" He bent down to her to kiss her; but when he did that Sandy turned her face away to her mother refusing to receive his kiss.

Judging by the bags from his eyes and his exhausted look, everyone could see that he had a sleep-deprived night. Now, when Sandy refused to receive his kiss, his anger and frustration reflected on Meredith. His thoughts were that Meredith might have told something bad about him, but none of those thoughts was telling him about his disappearance.

Meredith bent to her ear and brushed the hair away from there "Sandy, it was mommy's fault! I made him angry on me; it's not your fault and his either!"

Sandy looked into her mother's eyes, and Meredith wiped the few tears that were forming into her brown eyes.

Sandy returned her face to Derek to look at him; she did not say anything and she did not gestured anything, but Derek could see that she was sorry; so, for this he bent down again and kissed her.

One of the interns presented the case, while Derek was watching Meredith and Sandy. During their entire visit, Meredith avoided to look at him and she kept her eyes on Sandy, she was just listening what the others were saying about her case.

"I'll come to see you later Sandy, ok?" Derek gave her one more kiss when the visit was over.

"Promise!"

Derek smiled and gave her one more kiss "I promise"

"Promise, promise!"

Derek laughed "I promise, promise, promise!"

"Ok" Sandy gave him a smile "Mommy is sorry because she upset you, right mommy?"

For the first time since he came in there, Meredith looked up at him fixing his eyes "That's right, I am sorry… very sorry!"

Derek ignored Meredith's apologize and looked at Sandy smiling "I'll see you late Sandy! Be a good girl!" and saying that he went straight out on door.

"Mommy, go and tell him one more time!"

Meredith stood up and looked at Izzie, who was still there "Will you keep and eye on her for me?"

Izzie nodded "Go now Meredith!"

Meredith ran out of room and saw him stopped at the nurses' station making some notes into a chart.

"Derek, I need to talk to you! Please!"

Derek didn't bother to look at her and continued to write in that chart "I don't know if I am good enough for you to do me such a honor"

"Derek… please!"

Derek turned his back on her and started to walk "Let's go in my office… if you want"

--------------------

He motioned her to take a sit on couch as he leaned himself on desk, crossing his arms and looking at her.

Meredith took a sit down and fixed his eyes "I love you Derek! Sandy loves you! Everything is perfect, you are perfect and" ...her sobs where making her words already to choke "…I want everything to remain perfect" … "Each time I am telling this to a man, everything changes … they all let me down…and I don't want to you to let me down too"

Derek remained leaned on his office and looking at her. He could not figure out what Meredith has to say to him, but he saw that it wasn't easy for her, so this time his tone was softer, "Meredith, just tell me! I want you to know that you can trust me!"

Meredith moved her look down and tried to recover the force to speak. She seemed several times ready to open the mouth and talk, but each time she was hesitating.

"Sandy's father… James… died in a car crash when Sandy was 2…and Sandy…" with each word she was letting to come out, her sobs where getting harder and very painful to hear them.

"…Sandy was there with him and with…"

Derek was listening patiently and visible touched by the pain that Meredith was confessing to him with.

"…with Clara… her mother" she then looked up at Derek and saw his puzzled look "Sandy…" she tried to say something but again the words where choking in her throat.

Derek gave her glass of water and a napkin to help her clam down a little.

She returned her look down to the glass of water from her hands.

"I am not Sandy's real mother!"… "Sandy was the only survivor… she had just a few bruises" she looked up Derek, who was having now tears in his eyes but his tears weren't flowing as much as Meredith's. "I adopted her"

Derek came next to her and gave her the comfort that she needed badly in that moment, without letting her to say more. There were still many questions and many answers, but he knew that this had been the hardest part of the story, so he gave her time to calm down.

She managed to calm down after a few minutes, and when Derek noticed that he lifted her face and looked into her red and puffy eye with a comforting smile on his face, that, without knowing how, it made her feel better.

She wiped her face and nose, letting out now shorter and more rare sobs and her look fell down again at the glass from her hands.

"Their parents never agreed with their relationship and they also refused to accept Sandy… I couldn't … you know…" the sobs were causing her again a difficulty in speech. She took a sip from the water that Derek had handed her again and this time she used her hand to wipe the tears from her face.

"…I could not let her alone… Clara was my best friend and… I did it! I made their parents to sign a paper to give up on their any legal rights over Sandy and they signed … immediately, and I didn't hesitate for a second. She is my daughter and I am her mommy now!"

Her eyes searched again to find Derek's, and when they did, she saw him wiping his face too. His hands cupped her face again and pulled it to him so that he can kiss her. He held her like that for several seconds, while he was staring into her eyes with a touched look.

She was right not to share this so easy with nobody; it was indeed very painful to remember and he had to admit that it was very… shocking too.

A smile on his face tried to make his and hers face to light up a little. He kissed her lips gently.

"Did you think that this would make me stop loving Sandy or you?"

He saw her eyes watering again and not to let the tears to wet her face again, he ran his hand over them.

"I can assure you that this did not happen! I love her no matter whose daughter is! It is hard not to love her anyway, once you have met her!"

"You do?"

Derek rubbed gently her cheek smiling "I do!"

"Everybody who finds out about this, calls me crazy because I did this considering in particularly that I am a doctor"

Derek continued to hold her face in his palms and when she said that he pressed a hard kiss on her lips "I don't consider you crazy for this; I find you wonderful and brave and this… this makes me just to love you more Meredith!"

"You do?"

Derek smiled and wiped her cheeks "I do!"

"But there is more"

"It is worse than this?"

Meredith shrugged "It depends on how you will find it!"

Derek released her face, and took one of her hands in his "Go on then!"

"Sandy's father owned a big restaurants chain and his business was profitable… very profitable, so after his dead…" she stopped and hesitated to continue.

"Sandy owns them now"

"Well, not exactly… because when I became her legal tutor I also became tutor over those; but I am doctor… I don't know anything about how to manage a restaurant… I can hardly manage my kitchen"

At her remark, Derek could not abstain himself not to laugh making her laugh too.

"So I sold them and I opened a bank account on her name blocking the money until she will turn 18 and she will have the legal right to take them"

"But Meredith, I earn a lot of money from my job! You should have not consider this an impediment for out relationship either"

"$ 14 millions" she whispered without looking at him.

"What?" Derek asked her to repeat it because he hadn't heard indeed what she said.

Meredith looked at him biting her lip nervous "$ 14 million! This is her fortune!"

Derek smiled "Wow…I am not that rich" and he pulled her into his arms holding her face up to him "But I still can afford to spoil her"

"So… nothing changed?" she asked him hesitant.

"Well… something changed" he said it serious at first, but when he saw her panicking he brought back his smile "I feel happier now that you have confessed to me and as I said… I love you more!" and saying that he pulled her face to kiss her mouth with passion.

"I feel much better now!" she told him, when they pulled apart for some air.

"I know! He stood up holding her hand and making her to follow him up "Now, let's go and give her the good news."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she saw her mother and Derek coming in together and both looking happy, Sandy giggled happy at Izzie who was in bed with her.

Izzie stood up and headed to door smiling happy at them, while Meredith took her place on bed next to Sandy and Derek came on her other side.

"Did you forgive my mommy, Derek?" Sandy asked looking at each of them.

Derek smiled and kissed her forehead and then her mother's lips "I did"

"Do you still love us?"

At her question, Derek repeated his actions "I still love you!"

Starting that moment, Sandy became Sandy again, so she forgot about the pain and the entire day was spent it with visits, stories, games and many, many laughs.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Does she remember anything from that time?"

After Sandy's bedtime story, they laid down on couch in each other's arms.

"I don't know. She did not need to be hospitalization, so I took her home with me; she cried after her mommy and daddy for about two weeks… it was horrible; she was hardly eating, speaking."

Derek felt neck getting wet. She was crying again.

"She was calling me Meri…or something like this, because she was having serious difficulties to pronounce my name" she laughed a little remembering that "After almost a month she came one day to me and dragged my by my pants to bent down to her… do you know what she asked me?"

Derek just waited for her answer.

"She asked me if she can call me mommy! In that moment, I have started to feel her as my daughter and me as her mother! I've tried and I am still trying to be a good mother, to make her feel like she has a real family again"

"And you did and extraordinary job Meredith!"

Meredith laughed wiping her cheeks "I guess so! Addison, Izzie and Christina supported me from the first moment! She never talks about them; she refuse to listen me talking about them, to show her photos of them and when we go to visit them to cemetery she just sits there and after just a minute or two she begs me to leave! I don't know… maybe I tried too hard to make her feel normal and because of this she rejects their memory"

"Maybe she finds it hard to talk about them, just like you found it hard to talk to me about this or maybe she simply doesn't remember them and she feels like you are pushing her to care for some people she doesn't know anymore. She is little and she doesn't perceive what an adoptive mother is… as you said: you are her mommy now and she is your little girl!"

"She is my little girl and I am her mommy now!"


	8. We took the ferryboat mommy!

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 7- We took the ferryboat mommy!**

Two months have passed since her accident and today she is the same Sandy that everyone knew. Her recovery was incredibly fast and with no marks remained from there; she is not afraid to run, to jump and to be happy. That day is now a bad memory, but a memory that she does not seem to remember anymore.

Today, Meredith had a late emergent surgery and because Sandy wasn't having to patience to wait for her, Derek took her from daycare and brought her home.

The next day it is Derek's day off, but since the incident with Mark from that day, Meredith has not let him watch her again. In his days off, Meredith was still taking Sandy with her at work and when he was ending his shifts earlier than Meredith was, he had to wait for her to finish the work or to wait for them home.

She was making exceptions from time to time when Derek was off earlier than Meredith was, letting him to go with Sandy home. One of these days was today too.

Now Derek was making real efforts to convince Meredith to leave Sandy home with him the next day; for this, Derek and Sandy thought on a small plan. Sandy had to behave nice the entire day and wait for her quiet, while he was having in plan to wait for her with the dinner ready.

"Sandy what are you doing here? I thought that we are trying to convince your mommy that she can leave you home with me tomorrow!"

Sandy stood up on her feet and looked up at him guilty biting her lower lip, a habit that she had learned from her mother. She looked around her and saw what a disaster she had created in just the two hours that have passed since they were home. Coloring books, crayons, papers, dolls, pieces from a puzzle, dolls' dresses, some of her own clothes were all threw around her room.

"I'll clean fast I promise!" indeed she started to ran around the room picking up every piece and placing it at its well-known place. Because she could not have finished the room before Meredith's arrival, Derek helped her too with the cleaning.

"Sandy!"

As the things from floor had started to rarefy, Derek let out a big and annoyed groan when he saw some lines drawn on carpet. He stood up nervous and left the room to go and take a rag and some detergent to clean it.

Fortunately, the spots were removed easily and fast.

When the room was clean again, Derek told her to change her clothes, wash her hands and stay quiet until her mother will be back home, while he is finishing the dinner.

Later, Meredith unlocked the door and stepped inside the apartment. Derek was in kitchen and Sandy in living room watching cartoons at that moment.

When they heard the door opening, just Derek came to greet her; he put an arm around her waist and pulled her for a short hug and a kiss.

"The dinner is almost ready!"

Meredith nodded, but in the same time her attention was on Sandy, who did not left the couch that she was sitting on and she was just looking at Meredith smiling. She found her behavior weird, because usually she was the first one who was running to greet her and made her look a little worried at both of them.

"Something bad happened?" she asked Derek.

Derek pretended not to know what she is talking about, "No, what makes you think that?"

"Well… my daughter did not come to greet me; she is just standing there on couch looking at me"

"She is tired that's all" and saying that, he motioned to Sandy to come and greet her mother.

When she saw Derek motioning, Sandy jumped out from there and ran to her mother.

"Mommy!" she extended her arms to her so that she can be picked up.

Meredith kneeled at her level and gave her big hug "Are you tired sweetie?" she asked this, even if the energy that she showed when she came to her was infirming the assumption.

Sandy shook her head firmly "No! Derek told me to stay quiet!"

Meredith looked up at him and when she saw him smiling and shrugging, she gave him a glare "What did she do?"

"She did not do anything wrong; I just asked her to stay quiet in here until the dinner is ready… she must have taken it with exaggeration"

"Derek, you know how much I hate when you are hiding her escapades!"

Sandy looked sad at her mother because of the discredit that she was showing to her "I really didn't do anything bad, mommy!"

"She is right Meredith!" Derek grabbed her by her arm to stand up and took her bag "Come on in now and forget about your small grief; you got your hugs and kisses, now go and get ready for dinner!" and her leaded her in living room smiling.

Meredith gave over with this, but she was still looking at them with disbelief "I am still going to find out what is going on here!"

Derek just smiled and gave her one more kiss before heading back to kitchen "I am sure that you will"

When Meredith closed the door from her bedroom, Sandy ran in kitchen to Derek and took a seat on table looking worried at Derek.

"Don't worry Sandy we are doing fine!" Derek winked at her smiling. "Do you want to help me to set the table?"

Sandy nodded happy and stood up from her sit. Derek handed her some napkins "You can fold this!"

"Ok" Sandy took them and set back down. This was one of her favorite solicitudes while she was waiting for food, so now agreed to do it more than happy

A few minutes later, Meredith came in too and poured herself some water, looking still suspicious on them.

"Look mommy, I helped Derek to set the table!"

"Wow, you did?" Meredith took a seat next to her and started to brush her hair.

Sandy nodded satisfied when she saw her mother proud of her "Do you like it?"

"Very much! Your are a hard-working young lady Sandy!"

"Like a bee!"

Meredith could not abstain not to laugh and give her a kiss "Like a bee! Do you want me to call you 'bee' from now on?"

Sandy stood for a sew seconds to think about her new nickname and then she shrugged.

"Ok, we'll think about this some other time!"

During the dinner another strange behavior made Meredith to think that something happened or is about to happen; Sandy was continuing to give glances to Derek smiling and Derek was answering her with smiles. Meredith knew that she won't get out anything from them right now, so she decided to wait for them to tell her.

After dinner, Sandy ran back to her room, doing only what she knew in there, while Meredith was helping Derek with the dishes.

"Are you seriously not going to tell me what is going on?" Meredith placed the last dish in dryer and leaned her back on sink looking at Derek, who was standing next to her.

Derek took a towel to wipe his hands with and then he returned to Meredith smiling. He came in front of her and grabbing her waist with both hands, he lifted her on sink, also uncrossing her legs and getting between them.

"You still have to tell me Derek!"

To avoid the answer and any other question, he started to kiss her deeply and to run his hands along her back.

The well-known "Eww" was not late to come; it did not bother Derek, because he was already used with it, but it made Meredith to push him away and get down from there.

Sandy was standing right behind them holding a paper in her hand and a smile on her face.

"What is it sweetie?"

Sandy approached them and handed her mother the paper "This is for you mommy!"

"For me?" Meredith took it and looked over it. "Let me guess… this is me and this is you" she took a seat on a chair with Sandy on her lap.

"Do you like it?"

"You are very talented Sandy!" and saying that she kissed her head "Why isn't Derek in your picture too?"

"Because this is just for you mommy!"

Once again, Meredith was having the assurance that something was going on. Since they met Derek, Sandy never omitted to place him in her drawings, and now she made one just with the two of them.

"Derek, did you two have a fight or something?" she asked him, even if it did not seem to be so.

"No!"

"Come on Derek tell me! It is obvious that you two want something from me!"

Now all of the sudden, Derek has started to look nervous too. "I have the day off tomorrow!" he finally managed to say it.

In that moment, Meredith put Sandy down and the drawing on table and stood up shaking her head "No!"

"Please Meredith!"

"No Derek, she is not going to stay home with you!"

"Mommy, please! I promise I'll behave myself!"

"Derek, the last time when you had her under your care it was just for three hours and she had almost lost her hair, Mark locked her in…how do you think that you will manage with her for a whole day?"

"Meredith, that was a long time ago and I've learned my lesson, plus Mark is not here anymore and we definitely not going to visit him."

Meredith shook her head and headed out "No Derek!"

Sandy was now standing up on her feet in front of the chair that her mother had set down, looking at Derek very sad and almost ready to start crying. Derek picked her up and took that seat, placing her on his lap. When he gave her a hug and pulled her to his chest, he felt her small body shivering because of the sobs and soon her cheeks getting wet.

"Some other time, Sandy! I promise I will convince your mommy to let you stay with me! Now don't cry, ok?" he picked her face up to him wiping her face with both thumbs.

"But I want tomorrow!"

"I know sweetie, so do I, but if your mommy doesn't agree, then we have to listen her."

"I will ask her one more time and to forgive you for that day!"

"No Sandy! Let us not upset her, ok? I'll talk to her later!"

Sandy rested her head in his chest sad and still sobbing.

Meredith returned to them and leaned on counter in front of them. Sandy did not look up at her and continued to keep her face hided in Derek's palm, while Derek did look up at her and gave her a smile; but it was just a smile to let her know that he understands, because he was visibly disappointed too.

"Don't you have your final meeting with the board the day after tomorrow?"

"I do!"

"How do you think that you will be able to get prepare for it?"

Derek could see that Meredith was having a second thought, so a little hope started to grow in his smile.

"I don't have so many things to prepare for it, so I can do it tonight, tomorrow early in the morning, while she is napping"

"If anything will go wrong tomorrow… Sandy you will be in a serious trouble" this caught Sandy's attention and made her look up at her "…and when I say serious I mean not just two weeks of punishment and Derek, you will have to move from here!" Meredith told them into a very serious manner.

Sandy and Derek looked at each other for a few moments, not could believe that she has just agreed. Derek took her in his arms, went straight to Meredith, and pulled her to him with his free hand "Thank you!"

"Thank you mommy!" Sandy hung on her neck and started to kiss her.

Meredith took her from Derek and placed her on her hip; she was still looking at them serious, but she was also happy to see them so happy.

"Please don't make me regret this! I really don't want you to be punished and Derek to move from here!"

Sandy nodded and gave her one strong kiss on her cheek, with her arms wrapped tight around her neck "I'll be a good girl mommy! I promise!"

"And I promise that I'll watch her carefully!" Derek also kissed her other cheek.

Meredith laughed and shook her head putting Sandy back down. "Now that you are all happy can we get out of here?" she took Sandy's hand and the drawing from table and they left to living room.

Meredith started to tell them all the rules for the next day, advices for both of them, especially for Derek. This caused many rolling eyes and giggles from Derek and Sandy who were making fun of Meredith.

"Ok, this thing that you are doing right now it is not a good start and I still have time to change my mind!" Meredith told them serious.

"I'm sorry Meredith!" Derek tried to make it serious, even if he was all a smile.

Sandy nodded too and tried to adopt Derek's tone "I am sorry mommy!"

All this time Sandy stood right next to Derek, while Meredith was sitting on the coffee table in front of them. Sandy stood up a little so that she can place herself on her knees and hung her arms around Derek and started to kiss him in ecstasy "I can't wait tomorrow Derek! We can go to park and play, we can cook and draw, and paint… we can make puzzles…you will tell me many stories" she was so excited that she had started to enumerate all her favorite activities that she was wishing to do together with Derek.

Meredith smiled amused at them "Are you sure you still want her home, Derek? She has a lot of plans"

At her mother's question, Sandy left his neck and stood back a little looking at him worried. What if he will change his mind? No, this cannot happen! "We can just draw or paint or make puzzles" she reduced the schedule for the next day pleading Derek with her voice and her eyes not to change his mind.

Derek loved to tease her, so he pretended to have a serious thought about what her mommy told him and this made Sandy indeed more scared.

"I think that we can play around here, draw, paint, make puzzles, tell stories, go to park…" at this point Sandy was irradiating happiness again "…we can do whatever this young lady wants" and pulled her into his arms and started to tickle her tummy.

When his tickles stopped, Sandy stopped from laughing too, made herself comfortable in his lap taking his face into her small palms and started to kiss him repetitively. "I love you Derek!"

Derek took her hands from his face and held them in his kissing them "I love you too Sandy!" and bent to her ear whispering, "Now go and thank your mommy too!"

Sandy nodded and turned around to her mother, who was standing right behind her; her kisses and caresses moved on Meredith "I love you too mommy!"

"If you love me, then tomorrow you will listen to Derek, right?"

"I promise!"

"Ok, if you promise then I trust you!" she took her from Derek and put her on her lap "You have one more hour until your bedtime, what do you want to do until then?"

Sandy took a few minutes of thinking "Can I watch cartoons?"

"Sure, but first let's have a bath, ok?"

Sandy nodded "Ok, mommy!" she got off from her lap and looked at her "Can we have bubbles?"

At her mother's sigh, Sandy took her sweet puppy face "Please mommy!"

"Fine, but go and take your pajama!"

Sandy nodded and ran to her room, while Meredith took Sandy's drawing and went to her bedroom. Derek followed her in there, and when he stepped in and saw her sitting on bed and massaging her own shoulders and rolling her neck, he set down on bed behind her, removed her hands away from there and used his. He felt the tension in her every muscle and its release through her moans.

As her body was becoming more and more relaxed, he started to give her kisses on the spots that he had previously massaged.

"You have a presentation to prepare, Derek!" Meredith was already in trance, but she still knew that Sandy was waiting for her and Derek was having work to do.

"I'm not worried about the meeting!" Derek moved her hair to her face to have a better access to her neck "But I am very worried about you! You look too tense!" and his mouth started to breath all over her back neck, sending her shivers along the back.

"_Mommy I am ready! Where are you?"_

In that moment, both of them stepped back to reality and pulled apart from each other.

Meredith stood up from bed and looked back at him smiling "Your best friend is calling me! Blame her!"

Derek laughed and shook his head watching how she was going out. He grabbed a pillow and put it under him to lay there for while contemplating over the present moments from his life. He is about to become the chief of surgery and he lives with the two girls that he loves the most. Everything is perfect. Or maybe not?

---------------------------------------------------------

"_Derek, Derek, where are you?"_

Later, Derek heard Sandy storming out from bathroom laughing and her mother demanding her to go back.

"_Sandy, come back right now! Your hair is wet!" _

"_Derek where are you?"_ Sandy didn't seem to pay attention to her mother.

Derek was about to call her in bedroom, when he saw her standing in the doorway. He closed the laptop that he had worked on until then, and put it on desk.

"What were you doing, Derek?"

Derek came to her and picked her up in his arms, sitting down on bed with her next to him "I was working". He saw the water still dripping from her hair "Did you think that I need a bath too?"

Sandy didn't understand his little joke, so she gave him a confused look that made Derek to laugh.

"I think that your mommy is looking for you to dry your hair!" he told her.

Indeed, in that moment Meredith came in holding a towel and looking nervous at Sandy. Sandy knew that what she did was wrong and she also knew that she should not make her mommy angry if she wants to spend a day with Derek, so she climb down from bed helping herself with Derek's legs.

"Very nice of you young lady!" Meredith twitted her and wrapped the towel around her head, leading her then outside.

Derek followed them in Sandy's room and took a seat on bed watching them; Meredith was holding Sandy between her legs in front of a mirror and she was having difficulties to unravel her long hair making Sandy to let out an 'ouch' from time to time.

"Why don't you want to cut it shorter sweetie? Look how painful it is to brush it!"

Sandy shook her head firmly.

Her gesture was copied by Meredith too, who also accompanied it with a sigh "Fine, but stop complaining then!"

To keep her attention away from pain, Sandy started to sing something with low voice, but still understandable.

"_Darling you gotta let me know  
Should I stay or should I go?  
If you say that you are mine  
I'll be here 'til the end of time  
So you got to let know  
Should I stay or should I go?"_

Meredith looked over to Derek and saw him smiling very content.

"Did you teach her this?"

"Impressive, isn't it?" Derek smirked at her.

"But when?"

"In the short time that I spend with her! I still managed to teach her something. Imagine how smart she will become if she would spend the time with me in days off!"

Meredith just smiled and shook her head, returning her eyes on Sandy's hair.

"Ready now!" Meredith put the brush on table and Sandy down.

When she saw herself released from her mother's torture, Sandy ran straight to Derek "It is the time for my story now, Derek!"

"Don't you want to watch cartoons anymore?"

Sandy shook her head "I want a story… with the bunny!"

This didn't surprise anyone; they didn't even need the book anymore, but because Sandy loved to watch the pictures from it, they had put it in her nightstand's drawer.

As usual, Derek was the one who read her this story, while she and her mother were listening him carefully. Today Sandy was not that tired, so at the end of the story she was still awake.

Derek put the book back to its place, while Meredith stood up and started to tuck her in.

"Mommy, please stay with me until I fall asleep!"

"Aren't you sleepy?"

"No!"

"Ok, but you have to try to sleep; no play, no talk, ok?"

"Ok mommy!"

Meredith returned in bed under covers and took Sandy in her arms. Derek was already having a lot of work to do, so as much as he wanted to stay there with them, he knew that he cannot; he bent down over them and first he kissed Sandy 'goodnight' and then Meredith.

"Good night Derek! I'll see you tomorrow!" Sandy released his neck after his kiss.

Derek looked back at her smiling and then he headed to door, "Do you want me to turn off the light?"

Meredith just nodded, so Derek turned it off and left their room.

When the dark fell over the room, Sandy snuggled closer to her mother and buried her face into her chest. With her mother's warmth and her hand running through her hair, Sandy fell asleep immediately.

Meredith didn't hurry to leave her when she felt her sleeping; she stood there for a few more minutes to watch her sleeping. She was having a happy smile on her face, which meant that she was about to start a nice dream.

Meredith finally left her bed and slowly she closed the door behind her.

"She fell asleep already?" Derek asked when he saw her coming out in living room.

Meredith came to him and took a sit next to him resting her head on him "Immediately! How is it going?" she asked him when he saw him working at his presentation.

"Smoothly!" he put his arm around her and leaded her on back; smoothly his mouth started to taste her lips too. When he felt her hands under his shirt, Derek knew that they should stop, so he pulled back "I am sorry, but we'll catch up on with this later!"

Meredith sighed a little disappointed, but she gave him a smile and a nod and took his face in her hands for one last quick kiss. "Good night!"

"Good night Meredith!" Derek watched her until she was out of his sight. He let out a groan, rubbed his face as a sign of tiredness and returned to work.

At 5 o'clock the alarm went off and not to wake up Derek, Meredith hurried to turned it off; after a few minutes of ease, she managed to pull herself out of bed and get ready for a new day. Derek was sleeping deeply, as usual with his face buried in pillow and holding it with both hands under his head; she felt him coming to bed somewhere around 3 a.m., so now he was in the middle of his sleep.

She checked on her daughter, who was peacefully sleeping and unusual for her, with the cover pulled over her. When she saw her sleeping so peacefully and looking so happy, Meredith was glad that today she could let her sleep and finish her dream.

After a quick shower and a quick breakfast, Meredith was ready to go to hospital, but not before doing something else.

"Derek" she started to nudge him to wake him up. She knew that this was cruel of her, but it was concerning her daughter, so she was not having too much compunction.

Only after her third call, Derek started to give signs of waking up through his groans.

"Derek, please wake up!" she continued to whisper to his ear.

"What is it?" he mumbled from pillow.

"We need to talk!"

"Now?"

"Yes, now! I won't retain too much!"

"Then it means that it's not important!"

"Yes, Derek it is very important!"

Derek rolled over on his back and started to rub his face "What is it?"

"Please don't give her too much sugar for breakfast and neither during the day, don't take her out to park and don't bring her to hospital if it rains bad, then…"

Derek cut her words off "Meredith I know! You have all ready instructed me upon all these!"

"I wanted to make sure that you have them clear!"

Derek grabbed her arm and pulled her down into his arms "I am a very intelligent man, so I recorded everything from the first time"

"Derek, you said this the last time and you proved the contrary!"

"Thank you babe!" he pressed a hard kiss on her cheek "I love when you compliment me like this!"

Meredith pushed him away from her and stood up from bed "Funny Derek, but not funny enough for me! Call me if you have troubles with her"

"I won't!" Derek was continuing to smile at her and for this he received glare and her pillow thrown in him "I won't call you, because we won't have any trouble!"

"I hope so! Go back to sleep and take care!" Meredith went out and closed the door behind her.

"I love you too!" Derek yelled at her.

"_Prove it today!"_

Derek smiled satisfied and returned to his previous position. Very soon, he fell back into a deep sleep. Also very soon, in his opinion, he heard his name called again and felt someone trying to drag the cover away from him. "What?" he shouted nervous from pillow, thinking that it might be Meredith again.

He didn't know exactly how long it had passed since Meredith's last wake up call, but he had the feeling that not too much.

Well… he was not far from true.

"Derek, wake up! Come on it's morning!"

Derek rubbed his face in pillow angry and turned it then to his right, where the voice was coming from. For his surprise, it was not Meredith. Sandy was standing near bed, with her hands grabbing the cover and a very cheerful smile on her face.

Derek looked over the clock and saw that it was a little passed 6 o'clock.

"Why aren't you sleeping Sandy?"

"I slept, but I woke up!"

"It is still too early; don't you want to sleep more?"

Sandy shook her head.

"Come up here and sleep with me!"

Because the bed was a little too high for her and she was climbing it with difficulty, Derek helped her to get in. He lifted the cover so that she can slide in and then he laid her back and laid down next to her.

Sandy snuggled into him and seemed to be still sleepy enough to fall back asleep.

Again, Derek had the feeling that he is awake by someone too early. He opened his eyes and saw Sandy standing in her sit, right next to him, with her back resting on the bed's headboard and with her hands in his hair. He grabbed her both hands with one of his and dragged her back down next him.

Sandy was giggling happy when she saw herself dragged down and next to him.

"Morning Derek!" she smiled wide and gave him a quick kiss.

Derek looked again at clock and saw that he had earned just 30 more minutes of sleep and that seemed to be all, "You cannot sleep anymore, can you?"

Sandy shook her head "You are lazy Derek!"

"I am?" Sandy nodded at his question "Then I guess that we are just going to lay in bed all day and I will be tickling you!" and saying that he started a session of tickles on her tummy and around it. This caused her a very hard laugh and a few hits over his head.

Derek stopped and looked at her smiling "Am I still lazy?" and Sandy nodded again "This means that you like my tickles" he continued to make her laugh, this time by kissing her tummy.

"Stop Derek!" she was struggling to escape from his arms.

"I guess that we are both awake now!" Derek stopped and looked up at her. "Come on, let's get dressed."

Sandy jumped out of bed and stopped in the doorway to wait for him. When he got out of bed and ran his hands through hair, he went over the mirror. His hair had been messed up completely and a few strands of it twined. He heard Sandy laughing at him from the doorway and understood why he received a few more minutes of sleep.

"Do you find this funny, Sandy?" he asked her. Sandy nodded. "Wait until I'll put my hands in yours" he threatened her and started to run after her.

He caught her, when she was about to get into her room, and lifted her over his shoulder and placed her with her head down along his back.

Sandy was laughing and hanging with both hands on Derek's shirt "Put me down!"

Derek took in her room and just then, he put her back on her bed. When he did that, Sandy jumped at his neck "One more time Derek!"

"You liked that?"

"Uh huh, I want again!"

"Not now Sandy! Find some clothes to dress with and then we will have the breakfast"

"Pancakes"

"No"

"Pancakes, pancakes!" she had started to jump in bed

"No Sandy, cereals or toast with jam!"

"No, pancakes!"

"Sandy, get dressed now!" he opened her closet for her. Sandy came in front of him and started to look in it!

Because she was having difficulties in choosing some, Derek made her some suggestions. Sandy agreed, so Derek gave her a pair of black pants, a mauve blouse. "Stay in here and get dressed while I take a fast shower ok?"

"Ok"

His shower was fast indeed and after it, he started to shave his bear. While he was in the middle of cutting, he heard something breaking. He stormed out of bathroom and went to check first Sandy's room.

"Sandy?" he came in her room and saw that she was not there. "Where are you?" then he heard noises coming from kitchen.

In there he saw the jar with cookies broken in pieces on the kitchen's floor and cookies split all over. She took a chair and from it, she climbed on the buffet's counter and took the jar from shelf.

Now Sandy was standing into the opposed corner and she was looking guilty at him.

"What did you do Sandy?"

"I am sorry!"

Derek shook his head disappointed "Please go to your room and wait me there!"

Sandy didn't comment anything and left to her room.

"This is going to be a long day!" he said to himself after he saw in what manner the day had started.

He returned in bathroom and with fast moves he finished the shaving and then he put some clothes on him.

In her room, Sandy was standing and playing with the strap from her pants. When she saw him coming in, she stood up and went to hug his legs. She looked up at him sad resting her chin on his legs.

"I am sorry Derek!"

Derek kneeled at her level and started to smooth her messy hair "Sandy you have to promise me that you will listen to everything that I say and that you will stay out of troubles!"

"I promise Derek!"

"Ok, now let's brush your hair!"

It was for the first time, excepting that day with Mark, when Derek was brushing her hair. This time it proved to be as difficult as the first time.

"Why don't you want to cut your hair a little, Sandy?"

"No"

"But you would look much prettier and your hair shorter, plus it would look much better." He pulled her hair and folded it a little until the level of her shoulders "It would look much better this way!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, just look at you! Don't you like better this way?"

Sandy started to analyze her potential new hairstyle and after a few moments of thinking she smiled and nodded.

"What? This means yes?" Derek smiled surprised that he had managed to convince her so easy to do something that her mother was desperately trying to do.

"We can cut it today!"

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh!"

"Ok, then later we will go to a hairdresser!"

When her hair was gathered into a ponytail, Sandy stood up and grabbed Derek's hand "Let's eat!"

In kitchen, Sandy took a seat on table and waited for Derek to clean the mess that she had made earlier. After he finished with it, he stood up, washed his hands and opened the fridge.

"So did you make a decision? Cereals or toast?"

"Pancakes!"

"No Sandy! I said no pancakes!"

"I want pancakes Derek!"

Derek shut down the fridge and looked at her serious "Sandy I asked cereals or toast? The pancakes are not an option!"

"Please Derek!"

"No!"

In that moment, Sandy pouted and crossed her arms to chest nervous. She was not considering that fair, because he was Derek and today he was supposed to spoil her all day. At least this was happening in her imagination.

Seeing her like this, Derek pretended to be angry on her too and headed outside "This is the first and the last day that I spend with you! If you don't want to listen to me, then you will go back to daycare!"

Sandy looked behind after him and seeing him leaving, her pouted face became a very worried one. She stood up from her chair and went after him.

Derek was sitting on couch resting his head in hands, when he felt Sandy's hands over his.

"I am sorry Derek! I am going to eat cereals!"

Derek looked at her and smiled. He smiled proud that he had managed to control Sandy until then, but he was also aware that the day has just started and the troubles were not over. He knew that this was his chance to prove Meredith that she can have trust to let Sandy alone with him, therefore he was determined to do it right.

They ate the breakfast together, making in the same time the plan for that day.

"Can we go in park too?"

"If the rain will stop, yes!"

"But it has been raining for many days" she said with into a very sad tone.

"I know Sandy, but it is fall already and will continue to rain more!"

"This means no park?"

"I am sorry sweetie!" he saw her disappointed look and tried to comfort her "Maybe it will start snowing! Don't you like the snow?"

When she heard that, Sandy's face lighted up "Mommy said that we will go to skating"

"See? You have no reason to be sad for! You will find something to do!"

Sandy responded him with a nod and continued to eat from her bowl with cereals.

"_Darling you gotta let me know  
Should I stay or should I go?  
If you say that you are mine  
I'll be here 'til the end of time  
So you got to let know  
Should I stay or should I go?"_

Derek entered into the supermarket's parking lot. He and Sandy had a very cheerful ride until there. When he found a free spot, Derek parked the car on it, stopped the engine and then the stereo set, from where the music played all the way until there.

"We impressed your mommy last night with this, didn't we?" Derek asked looking in the rear-view mirror at Sandy. He was referring at the song that Sandy started to sing in the previous night and now during their ride.

Sandy nodded happy "I like this song!"

Derek got out of the car and opened the door to open up Sandy's belt and to help her get out too.

"Sandy, hold my hand and don't start running when we will get inside!"

Sandy took his hand and nodded "Ok", and they stepped inside and took a cart.

But as soon as they stepped inside, Sandy let go his hand and ran to the clothes department that was right at entry. She started to look around at the clothes for children.

Derek hurried to catch her and grabbed her hand "What did I tell not to run from me?"

Sandy didn't look very fearsome by Derek's tone and started to drag him after her "We are just looking!"

"No Sandy" Derek stood firm holding her hand.

When she saw Derek's determination, Sandy realized that now it was the time to use her charms "Please Derek!" she gave him a pleading face.

Derek ran the hands through his hair with frustration; never so far, he saw himself in the position to say 'no' to her and to her cute pleading face. He kneeled at her level and pulled her to him.

"Why are you doing this to me, Sandy?"

Sandy smiled content seeing him almost ready to surrender again.

"Sandy, we are here to buy food not clothes! Now you promised that you will listen to me and look what you are doing!"

"We can just take a look!" Sandy adopted now a low tone.

Derek stood up and shook his head firmly "No!"

Seeing that, Sandy sighed resented and returned to cart, grabbing it with a hand and waited pouted for Derek to come and push it.

"Let's go and see where we can find the milk! Do you remember where is it?" Derek was trying in this way to make her forget about clothes and not to stay pouted anymore.

Sandy looked up at him and nodded.

"Show me where, because I don't remember!"

Sandy smiled happy to see that she was able to help Derek with the shopping and this way her grump disappeared. Derek was telling her what they are looking for and when they are finding that thing Sandy was taking it from shelve (at those that she could reach) and placing it in their cart.

At the cash desk, Derek put her in cart so that she can pick the products up and place them on counter. He also gave her the credit card to hand it to the cashier and then he let her receive the coupon from her. When all the things were in bags, Derek took her out from it and helped her to put the jacket on and the hat, and he took her hand to go to car.

While they were in there, the rain had started, so Derek picked her up and hurried to get to car. He unlocked it and put her inside and then he opened the trunk to load it with bags.

Derek got in too and closed the door. He was all wet, so he started to shake his head and took off his wet jacket and put it on the sit next to him.

"Derek, we are going to the hairdresser now?"

Derek looked back at her surprised "Do you really want to cut your hair?"

Sandy nodded smiling "Are we going now?"

Derek took a minute to think where he had seen a hair salon; he remembered one nearby their building, so he drove away, not before asking her again if she is sure that this is what she wants.

Because it was still raining badly, Derek pulled the car close to the entry; he helped her to get out from car and hurried inside. There weren't too many customers, so a lady greeted them right away.

"Good afternoon! How may I help you?"

"Hi! This young lady decided that she wants a new haircut!"

The lady bent down to Sandy smiling and smoothed her hair "You have a very beautiful hair! My name is Maria!"

Sandy smiled back "My name is Sandy!"

"Nice to meet you, Sandy! Come with me!"

Sandy left Derek's hand shy and took hers to lead her to a chair. The lady picked her up and placed her down in it. She undid her hair from ponytail and brushed it.

In the meantime, Derek took a seat and watched them.

"How much do you want me to cut sweetie?" Maria asked her.

Sandy showed her the level a little bit lower than shoulder. Because Sandy was having the hair long until almost her lower back, Maria looked back surprised at Derek.

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

Derek shrugged and nodded.

As the strings were starting to get detached from her hair, Derek was feeling worried on Sandy's reaction.

Maria brushed her hair and arranged it to look nice. Sandy seemed happy with the new length of her hair and the new look.

"Do you like it sweetie?"

Sandy looked up at her and nodded smiling.

Derek stood up from his seat and came to her; he was holding her shoulders with his hands and looked at her in mirror smiling "You look beautiful Sandy!"

Sandy smiled happy and turned around to give him a kiss.

Derek paid for her haircut, and then helped her dress the jacket again and gave her the hat.

The road back home was quiet, so Derek was giving her glances from time to time through the rear-view mirror; she didn't seem upset; she was still keeping her smile on face and her attention was focused outside on window.

In the second that Derek unlocked the door, Sandy ran inside first undressing from her jacket and hat very fast and throwing them in living room on couch and then she ran to her room. Derek shook his head seeing her so messy and took the bags to kitchen.

As he was unpacking the shopping, Derek saw her coming in there with tears in her eyes. He left the bags and went to pick her up in his arms "What happened sweetie?"

"Derek… I want my hair back!"

This was the moment he was the most afraid of.

"Why? You look beautiful this way!"

Sandy shook her head and buried her face in his neck; she started to sob hard and to wet his neck with her tears.

Derek took a seat on table holding her tight in his arms "Sandy!"

"Nobody will like me now!" she was mumbling from his neck.

"Everyone will love your new look! I already love it and mommy will love it too! You look very beautiful!"

Sandy looked up at him with a sad face "I am?"

Derek wiped her cheeks with his palm and kissed them "You are beautiful! Now, if you will smile too, you would look even more beautiful."

Sandy brought a small smile on her face, but which grew bigger once that Derek started to kiss her. After a rain of kisses, Sandy jumped from his lap and took his hand "Come!"

"Where?"

"To arrange my hair"

Derek smiled amused by the girl's mood swings and followed her in her room.

After many barrettes clipped on her hair and many tails, they decided to leave it free and to keep it away from her face with a blue braid that was matching with her outfit.

"Listen Sandy, we have one more hour until we will go to see your mom and if you will stay quiet while I am working on something, I have a surprise for you?"

"A surprise? Really?" Sandy looked back at him with excitement, and when Derek confirmed it with a nod her eyes grew big "What surprise?"

"If I tell you, then it would not be a surprise anymore!"

"Will I like it?"

"Don't you trust in my surprises?" Derek acted like he as offended by her question.

"I do Derek! I do!"

Derek put her down from his lap and stood up "Then stay here and play nice, while I am in my room!"

"Can I come with you?"

Derek sighed and with a smile he nodded "But promise that you will be quiet!"

"I promise!" then Sandy ran to take a coloring book and some crayons and followed Derek in his room.

Derek put her in bed and then he took his laptop and turned it on.

Sandy started to sing again the lyrics from the Clash's song. She knew just 6 lines from it, but she loved it and was repeating them often.

When Derek heard her, he looked up at her and watched her smiling. He had never heard her singing before, without knowing how sweet her voice was.

Sandy gave him a glance and when she saw him contemplating at her, she responded him with a smile and returned to her book.

Because the rain had stopped before they were ready to go to hospital to have the lunch with Meredith, Derek was having a surprise for Sandy, so he put some warm clothes on her and leaded her to car.

When Derek stopped the car to docks, Sandy started to get fussy in her seat and look with big eyes outside on window.

"The ferryboats Derek!"

Derek unbuckled his safety belt and turned around to Sandy "Do you like the ferryboats?"

"Yes Derek!" Sandy started to clap with excitement her hands.

"Then lets take a ride!"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Yay"

Derek took her in his arms and went over to railing; Sandy's arms were tight wrapped around his neck and her face turned over to water.

"Do you like my surprise?"

Sandy looked at him and nodded "Thank you Derek!" and started to place kisses on his cheeks.

She definitely knew how to show her gratitude for every surprise that she was receiving from each person.

"Look Derek, a sea gull!" she suddenly pointed with her finger to a bird that was flying above them.

"That's right Sandy! How did you recognize it?"

"From my book!" she smiled proud at him "It's a big one!" she said with admiration as she was looking up on sky after sea gull. "Look, another one!" she pointed to another.

"They are looking for food! Do you know what they eat?"

Sandy looked at him for a few moments "Fish!"

"That is correct!"

Sandy took a grimaced look, "I don't like to eat fish!"

"What? Why?"

"I don't like how Izzie cooks it!"

"Then you should try mine!"

Sandy just shook her head and returned her attention to surroundings. She bent over Derek's arms to look down at water.

"Don't bend that much Sandy!" Derek held her tighter when he felt her bending too much from his arms.

"I want to see the fishes!"

Derek placed her more comfortable on his hips and holding her tight, he bent her over the railing to see the water.

"I cannot see any!"

"The water is puddled because of the rain. But they are somewhere down on bottom"

"Isn't the water too cold for them?"

"They can get used with it!"

"We cannot take a bath in it!"

"Of course we cannot! We bath in tub"

"With bubbles!" Sandy smiled wide at him.

"Strawberries bubbles!"

Sandy giggled and put her head on his shoulder to rest it.

"Are you cold?" Derek asked her.

"No!"

Derek stepped in the cafeteria holding Sandy's hand and looked around to see if he can see Meredith in there. He had called her told her that they have just arrived, so she should show up in any minute.

"Mark" Sandy shouted happy and ran from Derek to the table where she saw Mark eating.

Mark saw her running to him, so he put the fork down and waited for her to get to him.

"Mark!" Sandy stopped at his table.

"Hello Sandy!"

"Look Mark!" Sandy took of her hat and smoothed her hair "Do you like my new haircut?"

Mark was shocked to see her hair so short; as everyone, he knew how much she loved her hair. "Wow! You look… beautiful! But why did you cut it?"

"Derek told me to!"

Just then, Derek came to them.

Mark looked up at him, abstaining not to laugh, "Meredith is going to kill you for this!"

"Let me doubt about it!"

"Guess what Mark?" Sandy needed to share another experience of hers"

"What?"

"We came with the ferryboat and I saw sea gulls!"

"Really?" Mark was trying to look impressed, even if he wasn't. "I bet that if I show her a bottle of water she would be even more impressed!" Mark looked up at Derek amused.

"Shut up Mark!"

"Sandy?"

Sandy turned around and saw her mother coming to her "Mommy!" she ran to her and hugged her.

Meredith was in complete shock to see her daughter's new hairstyle. She was running her fingers through Sandy's hair like she would have wanted to see that it was real.

"Sandy… your hair!"

"Do you like it mommy?"

"I do but… how…why…" she looked at Derek with a glare "What did she do now?"

Derek came to her smiling and put a hand around her waist pulling her into him "Nothing! She wanted a new haircut!"

"Why? How?"

"Derek told me to cut it!" Sandy was looking up at her mother smiling.

"And she agreed just like that?" Meredith was looking at them confused.

"Aren't you proud of me?" Derek smirked at her.

"Derek, make me proud at the end of the day; you still have many hours to spend with her"

Derek laughed and pulled her for a kiss "Hi!"

"Hi!"

"Mommy!" Sandy was trying to regain her mother's attention by pulling her by her lab coat.

Meredith pushed Derek away from her end kneeled at Sandy. She still could not believe that Derek convinced Sandy so easy to short her hair, so her eyes were contemplating on her hair and her fingers were running through it.

"Do you like my hair mommy?"

Meredith kissed her cheeks "You look very beautiful!"

"Maria cut it!"

"Maria?" Meredith looked up at Derek.

"The hairdresser!"

"Oh" Meredith returned her attention to Sandy's hair.

"Guess what, mommy?"

"What?"

"We came with the ferryboat here and I saw sea gulls"

"Wow! So you enjoyed the ride!"

"Uh huh! And Derek said that if it won't rain, we'll take the ferryboat again when we go home!"

"I am glad that you enjoyed the ride sweetie, not let's take something to eat!" Meredith stood up and took her hand.

"Mommy, can Mark eat with us?"

At Sandy's question, everyone looked surprised at each other.

"I'm sorry Sandy, maybe some other time; now I have to go back to work!"

At Mark's excuse, Sandy looked sad at him "Ok!"

"Come on now Sandy!" Meredith motioned her to walk.

"Bye Mark!" she waved to him and left with her mother.

"Bye Sandy!" Mark saw then, Derek's suspicious face "What?"

"You and Sandy, Mark? Friends?"

"Hey, the kid loves me! I am irresistible … what can I do?"

Derek smiled disapproving him and turned around to leave "I'll talk to you later!"

Derek went to buy the food for them, while Sandy and Meredith took a seat on a table.

"We couldn't see the fishes, mommy!" Sandy was continuing to tell her mother everything that she had seen during their ride with the ferryboat.

"Have you been a good girl for Derek, Sandy?"

"Yes mommy!"

"She has been a very good girl!" Derek came with the tray and stood down at their table. He leaned to Meredith for a kiss, and then gave them their food.

"Sandy?" Addison and Izzie joined them having the same shocked look on their faces as Meredith, when they saw Sandy's hair.

"Izzie, Addie, look!" she put the hands in her hair "Do you like it?"

First, they looked at Meredith and Derek confused. This was something unexpected for everyone. Meredith just smiled and shrugged at them.

"You look beautiful Sandy!"

Again, Sandy started to tell them about how Maria cut her hair and about how Derek helped her to find the best ways to arrange it, about her ride with the ferryboat and the sea gulls.

"Now ladies, you have to admit they I impressed you!" Derek smirked at each of them, especially at Meredith, after what Sandy had finished her story.

"Derek, I told you… I will be impressed tonight when I will get home and I will find her home and in safety! But now you could help understand, why is Mark Sandy's new friend?"

"I like Mark, mommy! He is funny!"

"See?" Meredith looked at Derek "She thinks he is funny and we all know that he is not funny, at least not with children!"

"How should I know? Maybe he started to like her for real!"

"Derek, he is your best friend…"

"Correction" Derek interrupted her "Sandy is now my best friend" he winked at Sandy and made her to giggle.

Meredith rolled her eyes amused "Whatever… he is still your friend, so you should know!"

"Come on Meredith! What are you finding weird in this?" For everybody's surprise Addison defended Mark.

"Since her accident he is always around her, telling jokes, buying her candies and Addison… we are talking about Mark Sloan, remember? He is … Mark… genetically designed to like himself only."

Is Sandy doing the same thing for Addison and Mark as she did for Meredith and Derek? To bring them together?

We'll have to see.

Because the rain had not started yet when they left from hospital, Derek took Sandy to ferryboats again, for Sandy's delight.

When they stepped into the building and they were waiting for the elevator's door to open, Derek noticed a little disquiet on Sandy's face. He decided to ignore it thinking that it might be because of the tiredness. In elevator, she was the one who pressed the button, but she did it with less enthusiasm.

Derek unlocked the door and stepped inside; he noticed that Sandy remained out in hallway and she was not showing any intention to get in soon.

"Sandy, come on in we are home now!"

"Derek" Sandy was looking at him with a pleading look.

"What is it?"

"Can we go in park?"

"Now?"

Sandy confirmed with a nod "It's not raining now, but it might rain later!"

Derek came out to her and kneeled in front of her "But Sandy the park is wet and it's cold outside; plus, aren't you tired?"

Sandy shook her head "Please!"

"You will not find any of your friends there on this weather!"

"We will just walk… please Derek!"

Derek sighed and kissed her forehead. He did so great with saying 'no' to her pleadings, but now he surrounded. He said to himself that it would be nice a short walk through park, considering that the rain stopped after it had fell over the town uninterruptedly for the last two days.

Derek locked the door back and taking her hand, they crossed the street towards to park.

After a very short walk, Sandy saw one of her friends; so she let Derek's hand go and ran to him.

"Timmy"

Timmy seemed to be the same age as Sandy and he was there with her mother, who also seemed to be around Meredith's age.

Derek knew a few of Sandy's friends, and Timmy was one of them, but he didn't knew his mother. Timmy was always coming there with his grandmother.

"She dragged you out here too, isn't it?" Timmy's mom came to him smiling, while Sandy started to run around with her friend.

"Yeah"

"Hi, I'm Carol and he is my son, Timmy!"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Derek and I already know Timmy!" he answered her politely.

"My mom comes often here with him, but today because I had the day off and he was so impatiently to come here, I decided to join him! You are Sandy's father?"

"No, I am her mother's boyfriend!"

When she heard that, Carol smiled suggestively at him and then she turned her look to her son "Timmy, please stay away from puddles!"

"Yes mommy!"

"He likes the mud!" she laughed as she was watching them running around.

"Yeah… unfortunately Sandy likes it too!" Derek smiled back at her.

Because the children had started to ran farther, Derek and Carol followed them walking and watching them.

From the dialogue about Sandy and Timmy, the topic moved to their job. Derek told her that he is a neurosurgeon and Carol told him that she is a lawyer. She also told him about Timmy's father, who was also a lawyer and who left them when Timmy was 1 year old, about how is to be a single mom and about how grateful she is to have her mother helping with Timmy.

The dialogue made them forget to watch the kids. They remembered when the rain was starting to fall again and just then, both of them looked around after them and took some exasperated faces when they saw the kids. Both of them were wet and their clothes were full with mud.

"Sandy, what did you do? Look at you!" Derek ran to her and grabbed her by her shoulder. "You look like a piggy!"

Sandy laughed and wanted to put her arms around his legs. Derek grabbed her arms right before she could fill him with mud too.

"Let's go immediately!"

"No Derek! Not now!"

"Sandy, please don't argue with me; the rain is starting again and you are already too wet and too dirty!"

"You can come over our house if you want and you can play with Timmy there!" Carol proposed them after she had caught her boy too, who was also very dirty. "We live very close from here!"

"Thank you, but we also live very close and I have to clean this young lady and to try to finish some work" Derek refused her politely.

Carol seemed disappointed by Derek's refuse, but she didn't insist so they all said 'goodbye' and headed t their homes.

"Come on missy take your clothes off and get ready for bath!" Derek was now in bathroom with Sandy.

"Bubbles!"

"No bubbles for you today!"

"Please Derek!"

"Sandy, I told you be nice in park and now look how you are looking!"

Sandy knew that she was wrong and she saw Derek's disappointment, so this time she did not insist and gave up.

Derek helped her with the bath and then gave her some warm clothes.

"Now you can brush your hair on your own; you don't need anyone's help!" he told her as they were getting into her bedroom.

Sandy ran and took the hairbrush and started to brush her hair alone looking from time to time at Derek.

"See how easy it is?" he asked her smiling.

Sandy just nodded and continued to run the hairbrush through hair.

Later, Sandy went to kitchen, where she knew that Derek was.

Because it was already 6 p.m. and around 8 they were expecting Meredith to return home, Derek started to prepare the dinner.

"What are you cooking?" Sandy asked him as she was taking a seat on table.

"Fish" he looked back at her smiling.

"But I don't like the fish, Derek!"

"You don't like Izzie's fish, but you will like mine! Do you want to help me?"

Sandy nodded and stood up from her chair to go to him. Derek picked her up and helped her to wash her hands. Because he was having almost everything ready, he asked her to put the herbs over it and some potatoes around it. Sandy was thrilled to be able to cook for real and not just imaginary as she was doing with her mommy.

When everything was ready to be put in oven, Derek put Sandy down from the chair that she has stayed so far and picked up the tray. He put the tray inside the oven under Sandy's closely look.

While they were waiting for the fish to be cooked, Sandy was in her room and Derek in his trying to finalize his presentation for the last meeting with the board.

He was sitting in bed, typing at his laptop, when he saw Sandy standing in the doorway. She was looking pale and sweaty.

Derek got off the bed and went to take from there. As he touched her, he could see that she was burning.

"You are having fever sweetie!"

Sandy looked at him sad "I am not feeling to well, Derek!"

Derek picked her up and put her in his bed "Stay here!" he closed his laptop and put it away on desk and then went out.

He soon returned holding a small bottle and a tea spoon.

"I don't want medicine!" Sandy moved away, when Derek set down next to her.

"This tastes as strawberries… you have to take it if you want to feel better!"

He poured some syrup into the teaspoon and attempted her to take it, by giving it to her to smell it first.

When she saw how delicious it was smelling, she opened the mouth wide to take it. He then leaned her on back tucking her in careful under covers and laid down next to her too.

Because Sandy fell asleep fast, Derek decided to continue with his work.

Later, Meredith unlocked the door and stepped in. The lights were turned on everywhere and a complete silence was dominating the entire apartment. A sudden panic invaded her and went straight to Sandy's room.

The door was open so she sneaked the head in; but besides some of her toys abandoned on floor, there was nobody else in there. Her direction moved then immediately to her room.

From behind the closed door, no sounds could have been heard, so slowly she opened and sighed with relief when she saw them. Sandy was sleeping in Derek's arms and Derek was having his face turned to her and one arm over her body.

When she came closer to them, Meredith saw a few strands from her hair glued wet over her temple. She ran gently her hand over her forehead; she was not having fever anymore, but it was obvious that this was the cause.

Meredith removed slowly Derek's arm away from Sandy and lifted the covers to pick her up in her arms. She put Sandy's head on her shoulder and held her tight; her clothes were also all wet, so she went out and took her in her room.

When she felt herself lifted, Sandy started to mumble something sleepy.

"We went to ferryboats mommy!"

Meredith smiled and put her down in her bed "I know sweetie, you have already told me!"

"Twice mommy, we were twice" Sandy continued to mumble sleepy as she was hardly keeping her eyes open.

Meredith brushed Sandy's hair with her finger and gave her a sweet kiss on her sweaty forehead "Lets put the pajama on!"

Sandy just nodded and waited for her mommy to dress her. Once that she felt dry clothes on her, Sandy laid down and fell back asleep. Meredith picked her up and put her under covers, tucking her in and then she stood up and turned around to leave. Then was when she saw Derek standing leaned on the door's frame watching them. He was looking very exhausted and worried in the same time.

He knew that he had to tell Meredith about their walk in park and about the fever; he also knew that he had failed her with this, but he needed to be honest.

"I'm sorry! I could not say no when she pleaded me to go to park and there she started to run with her friend and she got all wet and dirty!"

Meredith didn't say anything, she just smiled and leaded him outside and closed the door behind the.

"The fever wasn't high and she fell asleep …actually we both fell asleep…she didn't eat anything"

"Derek it's fine, I'll take care of her from here, you go back to sleep!" Meredith smiled and patted his back.

"You're not mad!" Derek was looking at her surprise that she has not snapped at him yet and contrary she was smiling at him.

"I'm not! Did you finish the presentation?" Derek nodded "Go back to sleep then!"

Derek nodded again and turned around to leave "Good night" but he was immediately restrained by Meredith's hand.

When he turned around to face her, he felt her lips all over his; in that moment he pulled into his arms and started to kiss her back.

"I am proud of you!" she told him as she pulled away from his face and looked into his eyes smiling happy.

Derek felt himself relieved and very happy hearing her; his face lightened up a little when a smile started to grow on it. The content was in his eyes and his smile. He could not abstain not to pull her back to him and to hold her into a kiss.

"I love you Meredith!"

"I love you too, Derek!"

Saying that, both of them pulled apart and Derek went back in their room and Meredith to kitchen.

The alarm went on early in the next morning and Meredith was the one who reached over to turn it off. She sprawled her arms and legs and turned around to Derek, who was not giving sings of waking up.

"Wake up Derek!" she started to nudge his back.

Derek groaned and mumbled something very hard to understand, but he refused to wake up.

Seeing that, Meredith climbed on him and started to brush his hair using her fingers and to kiss him all over the face "Come on Derek, don't be lazy! Not today!"

Derek caught her with his arms around her and rolled over to have her under him "I want to be lazy…today!"

"She got you powerless, didn't she?"

Derek laughed in her face and pressed a hard kiss on her lips "Yeah!"

"So this was you first and last day off with her?"

"No way!"

"So you like the torture!" Meredith smiled at him, as her hands were running through his hair.

"I do, especially when it comes from Sandy and her mommy!"

Meredith laughed and gave him a quick kiss on lips "Are you nervous?"

"No! I am well prepared and therefore I am optimistic too!"

"Do you really wish to become the chief of surgery?"

"For a few years not I have been considering to become chief one day and I am determined to do it no matter what!"

"But what if you won't win the position this time?"

"Thank you for your encouragement Meredith!" Derek smiled at her and gave her one more kiss.

Meredith patted his back and pushed him away, "Good luck then! I am going to wake up Sandy now!"

"How did she do last night?"

"She woke up around midnight to eat and then she fell back asleep! She was much better!" and saying that she left Derek's arms and the bed and went out to go and wake Sandy up.

When she came into her room, Meredith found Sandy still tucked in under covers and sleeping peacefully. This time her hair wasn't outspread all around her pillow as usual.

Even if she hated to put an end to her sleep, Meredith had to do it, so she kneeled at her bed and started to smooth her hair.

"Sandy, sweetie is time to wake up!"

When she heard her mother, Sandy started to move and slowly to open her yes; seeing her mother next to her, she brought a smiled on her face too.

"Morning mommy!"

"Good morning baby! Did you sleep well?"

Sandy nodded and stood up in her sit rubbing her eyes "Mommy, can we go with the ferryboat today?"

"We don't have time to take the ferryboat sweetheart; we should wake earlier to take it and you don't like to wake up earlier, do you?" Sandy shook her head "See? So we cannot take it at this hour because mommy and Derek will be late for work"

"So what?"

"What do you mean so what?" Meredith asked her smiling "The Chief Webber will punish us and he will not pay us!"

"I will pay you mommy!"

"You will?" Meredith asked her "How?"

"I have money in my piggy-bank"

Meredith laughed amused at her daughter's innocence and at her sweetness.

"I am afraid that you cannot afford this baby, so now it's time for us to get ready, ok?"

Sandy nodded a little disappointed, but she didn't comment more upon this subject.

As her mother was looking through her closet to give her the clothes, Sandy started to tell her everything that she did with Derek in the previous day. She soon got at the park moment; she avoided to tell her about mud, but she didn't omit Derek's chat with Carol, Timmy's mother.

"So you two sneaked out from there sights because they were too busy with the laugh?" Meredith asked her with stupor when she heard that.

When she saw Sandy nodding, her forehead frowned with anger and her teeth clenched. She turned around angry to leave the room "Get dress while I get back" she told Sandy and from there she went straight to Derek.

She found him still laid back in bed with an arm over his eyes. He felt her coming in, so he took the arm away and looked up at her smiling.

"I heard that you were too busy to have fun with Timmy's mom than to watch Sandy!"

When he saw her looking so angry and jealous, Derek started to laugh. This made Meredith to look at him with more anger.

Derek stood up from bed, came to her and put his arms around her; but she immediately rejected him.

Derek didn't give up and he moved to her back restraining her arms to protest again and pulled her to him "I love you when you are jealous!"

Meredith was struggling to escape from him, but without any chance to make it "I am not jealous Derek, I am angry! I cannot believe that because of your flirt my daughter had fever yesterday!"

Derek laughed and started to kiss her around her neck and shoulders "You have no idea how bad you turn me on when you are jealous!"

"I've just told you Derek I am not jealous, I am angry!"

"You are so jealous because I talked to a beautiful woman!"

When she heard that Meredith sniffed angry and pushed him away with power; she turned around and gave him a deadly look "So you do admit that she is beautiful!"

"I do!" Derek smiled at her, but for his teas, he received a strong slap over his arm. He rubbed hard the injured spot and pulled her immediately after in his arms. He looked into her eyes smiling and rubbing one of her cheeks "I do, but she is not Meredith Grey and she doesn't have a girl named Sandy!" and when his last word left his mouth, he moved it down to hers and started to kiss it.

After his kiss, Meredith pulled apart more calm; she was not looking angry, but she was also refusing to smile, even if her eyes were doing it.

The each day routine ended as usual and Derek drove them to hospital.

Sandy had just got out of car, when she started to run to another car and stopped at that person's feet.

"Sandy, what did I tell not to run from me like this?" Meredith ran after her immediately and grabbed her hand "Morning Chief!" she saluted the person that made Sandy to run to.

"Good morning Dr. Grey!" he kneeled then in front of Sandy's "Your mother is right, you should not run like this again! Good morning Sandy!"

"Good morning, Chief Webber!"

"My you look so pretty with your hair like this!"

Sandy giggled flattered by his compliment "Maria cut it!"

"Maria?" the Chief looked up curious at Meredith.

"The hairdresser!"

"Oh I see! She did a good job! I'll see you around Sandy, be a good girl until then!" he stood up ready to leave.

"Chief Webber?" Sandy called him shy.

"What is it?"

"Can you pay mommy and Derek when they come late at work?"

The Chief looked surprised at them "Why?"

"Because we want to come with the ferryboat, but we have to wake up earlier and I don't like to wake up earlier!"

The Chief smiled amused "I am afraid that this is not possible Sandy!"

"Please!" she said it into her characteristic manner that made the chief to sigh frustrated.

"Fine, but just one day per week!"

Sandy nodded satisfied and took back Meredith's hand, while the Chief turned to Derek, "Dr. Shepherd are you ready?"

"More then ready!"

"Okay then, I will see you later!"

"Wait a minute… you are saying that I have to choose between Meredith and Sandy and the chief position?"

Derek was in the Chief's office later that day for the Chief to tell him the board's final decision and his; when the Chief told him that he was the chosen to replace him, but that he cannot do it if he will continue his relationship with Meredith, Derek jumped angry from his chair.

"Derek, if you have serious intentions with Meredith, then you must know that it would be difficult to have both! I made my decision, now it is up to you if you will accept it or not!"

"I cannot believe that you are asking me to choose between them!"

"I am sorry Derek, but I care about them and I want to see them happy and you cannot make them happy if you will be stuck in this hospital."

The Chief watched him how he was rubbing his face with frustration "Please take a decision by noon!"

Derek stood up and stormed out the door angry.


	9. The moon and the stars

**Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy! I just own Sandy and her new haircut ******** lol!**

**Note: This is the evening of the day that the Chief asked Derek to choose between Mer/Sandy and the Chief position. It is a short chapter because I wanted it to be just a mother-daughter moment. I hope that you will like this one too!**

**Thank you for your reviews**

**-------------------------------------**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 8- The moon and the stars**

"Mommy, when is Derek coming back home?" Sandy was lieing on face in bed looking over a book. She was wearing white fluffy pajamas with some bunnies on it and in her feet, she was wearing a pair of white socks.

Her mother was in there with her, sitting on the window's sill with her knees to her chest and her look outside over the park. It was dark, but the full moon was lightening beautiful the park and its surroundings. The starlight sky and the big yellow moon captured her look. When Sandy put her that question, Meredith took her eyes from window and pointed them on Sandy.

"Later tonight baby!"

Sandy didn't look up at her this time either and she turned another page to her book "Can I wait for him mommy!"

"No, he will come very late!"

Sandy left her book and stood up in her sit looking at Meredith; her face was not expressing anything… she was just staring at her. But when Meredith showed her a smile, it was like a sign that she was waiting for, so she jumped out of bed and came to her. "What are you watching?"

"I am watching the moon and the stars! Do you want to see them too?"

Sandy nodded happy and extended her arms to her, so that she can be lifted. Meredith placed her in her sit, between her legs and brought the back to rest on her chest.

"Wow!" Sandy was very excited when she looked up and saw all those stars. "Look mommy, I can see the man from moon!" she was pointing her finger to the imaginary man. "Do you see him too mommy?" she looked up at her.

"Yes baby, I see him!"

"Isn't he alone there on moon?"

"No, because he has the sun and stars around him"

"The sun? Mommy, there is no sun up there on night!" Sandy twitted her mother for her mistake.

Meredith could not help herself not to smile and gave her a kiss on temple "The sun is up there too, but it is sleeping on night and the moon watches over it"

"And when the sun is up, the moon sleeps, right?"

"That is correct sweetie!"

"And then the sun watches over the moon!"

Meredith started to brush her hair "You are very clever baby!" This caused to Sandy a happy giggle that made Meredith to cuddle her little body lovingly.

"The stars are the moon and the sun's babies, mommy?"

"Yes"

"Wow! They have many babies! How many they have?"

"Billions… billions of babies!"

Sandy took a moment of thinking; billions… she has never heard of billions.

"Billions are more than 13?"

13 was her new performance in counting.

"Billions are much more than 13"

"Wow! And the man is their nanny?"

Meredith smiled amused at her daughter's imagination "I think so!"

"So he is not bored there on moon!"

"With billions of stars to take care of? no he is not bored!"

"Oh" she took another moment of thinking "Where are the babies coming from?"

At this question, Meredith felt herself into a tight corner.

"Mommy?" Sandy was still waiting for her answer.

"The babies are coming from God!"

"Oh…so, Addie and Izzie are taking them from God and give them to their mommies?

This brought a big and amused smile on Meredith's face "Yes, something like that!"

"But how God puts the babies into their mommies' tummies?"

Now this was indeed a hard question. She was a doctor, so she knew how this was happening and the explication was simple too, but unfortunately not for a 4 years old girl.

Sandy knew this too, so she said it "Mommy, you are a doctor too so you know how, right?"

"Well…sweetie… God puts them in there by magic… nobody knows for sure how!" Meredith started to laugh to herself _"Very intelligent, Meredith"_

"Oh… I see!" Sandy seemed satisfied with the response. "And they grow up in there mommies' tummies?"

"That's right!"

"But how they fit in there?" she looked back curios at her mother "Because I don't think that I can fit in your tummy, mommy!"

Meredith was smiling amused at her daughter's perspicacity; she rubbed her small cheek and kissed it "When the babies are getting in tummy they are very, very small"

"How small?"

Meredith took her hand and delimitated one of her fingertips "This small!"

"Wow! And they grow up like me?"

"Yes; they first are tiny babies, then they will become children, like you, then they grow big and become grown-ups, like me"

"Wow!" Sandy was very impressed by the babies' evolution. "They don't get suffocated in there?"

"No; they have a special way to survive"

"How?"

"It is complicated to explain sweetie!"

"I'll ask Addie and Izzie then!"

"You do that because they know better!"

"The baby is alone in there or there are other babies too?"

"Sometimes the baby is alone, but not always!"

"Was I alone in your tummy mommy?"

This proved one more time that Sandy doesn't remember or she doesn't want to remember about her real parents. Each time she was asking a question like this, Meredith was trying to explain her how the things are in reality.

"I've already told you baby that your other mommy carried you in her tummy"

Sandy looked back at her with a sad face "It wasn't you!"

Meredith cupped her head with both hands and put it back to her chest "No baby, it was not me!"

"Why?"

"Because you were first someone else's daughter; do you remember your mommy and daddy?"

Sandy avoided the answer and raised her head again to look sad at her "But you are my mommy now, right?"

"I am your mommy! I take care of you now!"

She put her head back on her "And you love me!"

Meredith held tight and kissed her head gently "I love you very much!"

"I love you too mommy! Very, very much!" and as she was saying this she was caressing gently her mother's arm.

A few minutes of silence fell over them, and both were having the eyes back on sky.

"My other mommy and daddy are up there!"

"Yes baby! They are up there between stars and they are watching us right now!" She felt her eyes getting wet and to hide them from Sandy, she wiped them with discretion.

"Are they stars now?"

"Yes, they are"

"Which ones?"

"I am not sure baby; do you want to find them together?"

Sandy shook her and continued to watch the sky, while she was playing with her mother's fingers.

"Mommy, but why the babies have daddies and not just mommies?"

"Because the mommies need daddies' help to raise the babies"

Sandy was an intelligent girl and she proved it one more time with her question, "So, Derek is my daddy?"

Unfortunately, Meredith could not give her the answer she would have wanted "No baby, he is not!"

"But he takes care of me!" her eyes were still fixed over the sky but her full attention was focused on the conversation she was having with her mother.

"He takes care of you, but he is not your daddy!"

"You know what Addie told me?"

"What did she tell you?"

"She told me that if Derek loves you and you love Derek, then Derek can be my daddy! Do you love Derek mommy?"

Meredith started to brush with her finger, Sandy's hair with sadness in her eyes "I do!"

Sandy looked up at Meredith "So, can I ask Derek if he wants to be my daddy?"

Meredith took her little head in her hands pressing the cheeks with them and kissed her forehead "No sweetie, you cannot!"

"Why?"

Meredith knew that she could not give her daughter hopes when at that moment there were not any.

"Mommy, why cannot I ask him?" Sandy repeated her question when she saw that her mother was late with the answer.

"We should wait longer before ask him… it would be better this way"

"How long? Until tomorrow?"

Meredith smiled and gave her one more kiss on her worried forehead "Let's wait until next week, okay?"

"Okay mommy!" Sandy was not very happy with her mother's answer, but she returned her back on her resignedly and started to play with Meredith's fingers again and to watch the sky.

The silence fell over the room giving to each of them the chance to run with their thoughts far away to the sky that they were both watching so careful.

Sandy was probably with her mind out to her parents who now were stars or she was having it at how complicated it is for her to have a daddy too.

Meredith's mind was surely out to Derek and to the complicated situation that she brought Sandy and herself into.

"Mommy, can we touch the moon?"

Sandy's question put an end to the silence and to her thoughts.

"No, we cannot because the moon is too high and we cannot reach to it!"

"But then, how the man can come down and buy food?"

Meredith didn't understand immediately what Sandy was referring to "Oh… the man! Well … he probably has shops their, I don't know!"

"He can buy anything for free?"

Some of Sandy's questions, where often making Meredith to find with difficulty an answer "I am not sure! I have never been there!"

"I think he can, because there are no salespersons!"

"How do you know this?"

"Because he is alone there mommy!" Sandy looked back at her with sympathy in her smile for her mother's clueless.

"Oh… that's right!" Meredith took the girls face into her hands and gave her a kiss, turning it around after that back to sky.

"Let's say hello to him!" Sandy returned fast the face to Meredith.

"Let's say hello? To who?"

"To the man, mommy!"

"But Sandy, I told you the moon it's too high and we cannot reach to it!"

"If we go up on roof we can!"

"No, we cannot!"

"The building is high!"

"It is, but the moon is very far away! It is out in space!"

"Oh…It's not on Earth?"

"No!"

Sandy rested her head in her mother's chest, this time having the eyes over the park. "The park is sleeping on night?"

"The park, the trees, the squirrels, the lake and the fishes everybody sleeps on night!"

"Only the moon is not!"

"Exactly! And the little girls and their mommies have to go to sleep too!"

Sandy did not seem to have heard Meredith's last words and kept her eyes outside on window "Derek is not scared to go out on night?"

"No, because he is big and he can take care of himself!"

"I am scared to go out on night!"

"Of course you are afraid, because you are just a little girl and little girls should go to bed at this hour!"

Sandy raised her head from her and gave her a frowned look "I am not a little girl mommy, I am a young lady!"

Meredith pulled her for a hug laughing, "The young ladies should go to bed too!" and saying that she pulled her away and looked at her "Let's go to bed now, okay?"

Sandy nodded and rubbed her eyes as a sign that she was indeed tired.

Meredith put her down and stood up from the window's still too, taking Sandy's hand. "We have to brush our teeth first."

Sandy nodded and followed her mother to bathroom. Meredith took Sandy's small toothbrush and poured some paste on it.

Near the sink was always a small chair so that Sandy can climb on it and reach over the sink. As usually, Meredith pulled it in front of it, Sandy stepped on and took the toothbrush, and with up and down moves, exactly how her mother taught her, she started to brush her teeth.

"Brush them right, okay? I'll be right back!"

Sandy nodded and Meredith went of from bathroom heading to living room. She picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, someone answered.

"_Yes"_ a sleepy voice answered.

"Hi Christina, were you sleeping?"

"_No, but I was getting ready! What happened?"_

"It's about Sandy!"

Meredith's sad tone, worried Christina _"Is she sick?"_

"Oh no, no! It's just that…" she was hesitating to continue.

"_What is it, Meredith?"_

"Derek"

"_Is it about Derek or Sandy?"_

"Both"

"_Hold on a second because I need help! Izzie, Addison, Meredith is phone! She is rumbling something about Derek and Sandy!"_

"_What about them?"_ Addison's voice was coming from somewhere in that room.

"_This is what I am trying to find out! You can talk now Meredith, you are on speaker!"_

"_Hi Mere! What about them?_ Addison asked her.

"Sandy asked me if she can ask Derek to be her daddy"

"_So? Let her ask him, this way she will resolve your marital status too!"_ Addison laughed at her.

"Addison this is not funny!"

"_Meredith, I cannot see what the problem is!"_

"He didn't get the chief position!"

"_So?"_ All the three women asked her.

"He will return to New York now!"

"_He told you this?" _

"No, but he came here just to become the chief of surgery and now that he didn't get it he will return to New York" Meredith started to feel her tears running down on her cheeks and her words coming out shaky.

"_You don't know …" _ Meredith cut Izzie's words immediately

"I do know! He avoided me all day, at noon he left from hospital even if he was still during the shift and I have not received any sign from him since then! He just sent me a message not to wait for him tonight!" she took a short break to calm down her sobs a little "And now Sandy asked me this! I should have never let this go so far… how did he come into my life anyway?"

"_First you knock him down and then your daughter adopted him"_ Addison was laughing at the other end of line.

"Now Sandy is the one who will be hurt the most!"

"_Meredith, stop please! You are freaking out for no reason right now! Give him some space to wait and see what is going to happen next! You don't know for sure that he will want to go back to New York now!"_

"I guess I have no another choice than wait! Thank you guys, I have to go now!"

"_Do you want us to come down to you?"_ Izzie asked her.

"No thanks! I have to put Sandy to bed now! Good night!"

"_Good night Mere! We are just two levels above you in case you need us!"_

"I know! Good night!" Meredith hung on the phone and wiped her face with both hands. She had to pull herself together and go to take care of her daughter.

She found Sandy playing with the hand under water in sink. When she saw her mother coming in, Sandy turned off the water and got down from her chair. She hugged her mother's legs and showed her with a very cute smile, her teeth.

Meredith bent to cup her face and kissed her forehead "Very good sweetie! Now let's go to bed!"

Sandy nodded and took her mother's hand to follow her.

When they were about to get in Sandy's room, Sandy stopped.

"What is it?" Meredith turned around and saw her shy look.

"Can I sleep with you?" Sandy asked her shy, like she would not have wanted to upset her.

Meredith blew off her daughter's shy when she gave her a smile and a nod. Sandy ran fast to her mother's room, leaving her to turn off the light in her room.

"Do you want a story, Sandy?" she asked her

"_No mommy!"_ Sandy answered her happy from bedroom.

"I'll go to brush my teeth too and I will be right back!"

"_Okay!"_

Meredith brushed her teeth and did her toilet, then she returned to bedroom, where she found Sandy brushing her hair with Meredith's brush.

Meredith smiled happy to see how much Sandy loves her new haircut. "Come sweetie, up to bed!"

Sandy put the brush down on dresser and ran to her mother so that she can put her in bed. When Meredith did this, Sandy started to jump in it immediately.

Meredith got up in bed and grabbed Sandy's waist to pull her down to her.

"Mommy!" Sandy was laughing in her arms and the laugh was getting stronger because her mother had started to kiss her.

"Come!" Meredith lifted the covers to let Sandy get in; Sandy laid back in the middle of the bed, and in the moment that Meredith turned off the light Sandy snuggled in her arms.

"Mommy?" her voice resounded the innocence in the darken and silent night.

"What is it?"

"Is the moon watching over us now too?"

"Of course!"

"Okay!" and with that, she moved closer and buried her face in Meredith's neck "Good night mommy!"

Meredith made herself more comfortable near her daughter and rested her head on hers "Good night sweetie!"

A warm hand on her arm and a kiss on her forehead woke Meredith up.

"Hi!" she whispered not to disturb Sandy's sleep.

"Hi!" Derek answered her with the same tone and laid down next to Sandy "She took my place?" referring at Sandy's presence there.

"Yeah"

Through dark, Meredith could see him laid back and rubbing his face with both hands "I am sorry that you lost the race!"

"Yeah… me too!"

Meredith gave a glance back to the clock from her nightstand. It was 3.46.

"Don't wake me up tomorrow… I am not coming to hospital!"

In that moment, Meredith felt her heart sinking.

"Why?" she didn't know how she had the power to ask him this, but she did it and now she was waiting with fearsome his answer.

"I have some things to take care of!"

"Good night!" was all that she could tell him in that moment and cuddled herself with Sandy in her arms.

"Good night!" he answered back and the silence fell over the room again.

**---------------------**

**I hope that you all liked this one! **

10


	10. Probably you've damaged my brain

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 9-****Probably you've damaged my brain**

The alarm rang as usual at 5 o'clock in the morning. Meredith turned around immediately to reach over and slapped over the button to stop it, trying to avoid a scary waking up for the others, but when she returned to her previous position, with the face to them, Sandy was already up in her sit and rubbing a little scared the eyes.

"The alarm scared you sweetie?" Meredith asked her in whisper.

Sandy nodded yawning and continuing to rub her eyes. Then Meredith pulled her head for a kiss brushing her hair to back.

Derek didn't wake up when the alarm rang; he had just stirred a little and turned on face taking the pillow in his arms.

Meredith stretched her arms and body to make her exit out of bed easier and more comfortable, removing then the covers away from her. After she stood up from bed, she saw Sandy bent to Derek, ready to wake him up.

"Oh no, no sweetie let him sleep!" Meredith bent to her and pulled her away from Derek, before she could disturb him.

"Why?" she asked with a sleepy tone and crawling to her mother's arms, who was waiting her at the bed's edge to pick her up.

"He is not coming with us today! Come, let's go out!" Meredith took Sandy in her arms and when she felt her mother's embrace, Sandy wrapped her arms and legs around her mother's body and rested the head sleepy on her shoulder.

Meredith took her in her bedroom and put her on bed. In the moment that Sandy felt the bed under her, her first impulse was to lay down and go back to sleep.

"No, no Sandy, it is time to wake up! Come up baby!" Meredith took her hands and brought her back up in her sit.

"I cannot keep my eyes open mommy!" Sandy was continuing to rub intense her eyes.

"Make an effort baby, please!"

"Can I stay with Derek home?"

Meredith had started already to choose some clothes from closet "No baby, you cannot!" she returned then at her bed and put the clothes on it.

"Please mommy, I want to stay with Derek!" she was sounding still sleepy and her fists were not leaving her sleepy eyes not even for a second.

"No Sandy! You cannot stay home with him today, now please get dressed while mommy is taking a quick shower, ok?"

"Help me!" Sandy grabbed a blouse with one hand, while the other was still rubbing her eye.

"Show me what a big girl you are and dress by yourself!" Meredith bent to her and gave her a quick kiss on her frown forehead.

It was a very early hour for Sandy, because usually Meredith was waking her up with 30 or 45 minutes after her and in the meantime, she was getting ready and was preparing Sandy's breakfast. Because last night Sandy slept with Meredith and the alarm woke her up, Meredith didn't want to put her back to sleep just for a few minutes, knowing that this would cause a more difficult awaked for the little girl.

Knowing Sandy waked and left unsupervised, Meredith hurried with the shower and the dressing. When she returned in Sandy's room, she found her laid back and sleeping. Seeing her so sleepy, she felt sorry to disturb her sleep again, but she knew that she had to do it, so she laid down next to her and with one hand she was smoothing her forehead and with the other one she was patting gently and abdomen.

"Sandy baby, wake up!"

Sandy sent a hand over Meredith's face, as if she would have wanted to remove the noise that was disturbing her sleep.

Meredith took the hand and held it in hers "Come on Sandy, please wake up! You will sleep more at daycare". Meredith stood up then and pulled Sandy in her arms rocking her slowly and kissing her forehead "Come on sweetie!"

When Sandy opened her eyes, Meredith lifted her in her sit and started to undress her. Being half-awake, Sandy let herself dressed by her mother without complains and then carried to bathroom, where Meredith washed her face with cold water. The cold water refreshed her a little, so Meredith put her down to walk on her feet and then she wiped her face with a towel.

"Mommy please let me stay home with Derek!" Sandy remembered that Derek is not going to hospital today and she restarted her pleadings to her mother.

"I've told you already that you cannot stay home with him today!" Meredith finished wiping her face and then she put the towel back on the towel rails.

"Why? I'll be a good girl I promise!"

Meredith kneeled in front of her and brushed the wet strands away from her cheeks and temple "I know sweetie, but Derek has work to do today and he won't be able to take care of you!"

"I'll help him!"

Meredith smiled and shook her head "I am sorry, but not today!"

"Please mommy!"

Meredith stood up and took her hand "No Sandy, I've told you no!"

Sandy pulled her hand away from Meredith's and crossed the arms to chest frowned refusing to go with her.

"Please Sandy, let's not argue today! I am not feeling too great and I would really hate to punish you, so go to your room and brush your hair while I am preparing the breakfast."

Sandy stormed out from bathroom angry and went straight to her bedroom. Meredith hated to see Sandy sad because of this, but she knew that there was no other solution for that moment, so she let out a sigh of frustration and headed to kitchen. She was feeling a little nausea because of the thought that Derek might return to New York, so she made herself just some coffee. For Sandy, she prepared the milk and her cereals and then she poured herself the coffee and took a seat on table waiting for her daughter to come and eat.

Her mind ran away at her worries and didn't notice that Sandy was late to show up. When she recovered her mind, Meredith stood up and left the kitchen to look for her daughter. When she was about to enter her room, she heard voices coming from Derek's, so she changed her mind and went to see who was talking to who.

She found Sandy laid in bed next to Derek and talking with him. Derek having his face turned to her and with one hand he was gently moving her hair behind the ear's.

"Sandy, what are you doing here? Did you wake Derek up?"

Then, Derek pulled Sandy's head to kiss her forehead and rubbed her cheek "Go now, ok? And be a good girl today, I will see you at lunch!"

Sandy nodded with disappointment and crawled to the edge of bed to climb down from it.

Meredith went to take her hand and to lead her outside from there "I'm sorry for this!" she gave a glance to Derek, who was watching them sleepy.

Derek saw that Meredith was avoiding as much as possible to look at him "Are you ok?", but at his question, he noticed again that Meredith didn't look at him.

"Yeah" she turned around holding Sandy's hand and headed to door.

"Meredith" he called her pleading her in the same time to turn around and to look at him.

Meredith did turn around and when she did it, she met his smile, the smile that now all of the sudden she was starting to hate it. She forced herself to place a smile on her face too, so that she can escape from there faster "I'm fine, go back to sleep! I'll talk to you later!" and she turned around and hurried to get out, closing the door after her.

Meredith's fake smile didn't fool Derek, but he didn't show any intention to do something to make her smile honest. As Meredith closed the door and he was left alone, Derek rubbed his face over pillow and buried it in it.

Sandy let herself leaded to kitchen by her mother and took the seat that Meredith had arranged for her. Whatever did Derek tell her, she was now still a little sad, but was no longer angry on her mother.

Meredith poured her the cereals and some milk into a bowl and handed it to her together with her favorite spoon. She took a seat across the table and rested her head on table with the look down on ground.

She didn't notice and heard either when Sandy stood up from her seat and approached her touching gently her hair with her tiny hand. Meredith raised her head when she felt the gentle touch in her hair. Sandy was standing near her and looking up at her sad.

"I'm sorry mommy!"

"What are you sorry for, sweetie?" Meredith felt a little worried when she saw Sandy looking so worried and sad at her.

"Because I made you sad" she was running her tiny palm along Meredith's arm with slow and gentle moves that impressed Meredith deeply.

Meredith rubbed her both cheeks kissing her forehead "Mommy is not sad, I am just tired!" bending to her ear "I think we both need more sleep today!"

Sandy nodded smiling at her and turned around to go back to her seat. But she stopped at the middle of the table and lifted on her toes to reach to the cereals box; once that she touched it with her fingers, she managed to pull it to her and drew it to Meredith.

"You can have from my cereals!" she told her mother handing her the box with a comforting smile on her face.

Meredith could not help herself not to smile wide and to feel deeply touched by Sandy's gesture.

"Do you want to share your cereals with me?"

Sandy nodded and extended her arms to reach to her mother's neck. Meredith bent more to her so that Sandy can grab her. When Sandy wrapped her hands around her, Meredith picked her up and placed her on her lap, cuddling her intensely and kissing repetitively her cheek.

"I have a very generous baby girl!"

Sandy giggled proud in her arms.

Meredith put her down "Go and finish you breakfast! Now mommy is going to have some too!" and leaded her back to her seat and then she took out a bowl and poured herself some milk and some cereals that Sandy had generously offered her.

Meredith's mood improved hundred times more now when she was having the breakfast with that wonderful little girl that brightened her morning and made her forget for a while about Derek. Just watching her how she was sinking the spoon into the bowl with cereals and how she was carefully taking it to mouth, Meredith was keeping a constant smile on her face.

"Done mommy!" Sandy showed her the empty bowl.

"Very good baby! Do you want something else?" Meredith asked her smiling and raising an eyebrow, knowing that she still wants something and what. Sandy bitted her lip and shook her head. "Not even a muffin?" Meredith put the question smiling suggestively.

When Sandy heard that, her eyes grew big with excitement starting to sparkle and nodded. It was indeed the sparkle of a kid that had stepped into a candy shop.

Meredith stood up taking her bowl and Sandy's and put them in sink. She uncovered the basket that was having the Izzie's muffins deposited in and took one out.

Sandy was waiting for her patiently at her seat following her with the eyes everywhere around the kitchen.

"Thank you mommy!" she took the muffin from her mother with both hands and starting that moment her eyes remained glued on it.

"You are welcome!" Meredith's eyes remained fixed on Sandy's delight for the dessert that she had just received. If ever, Sandy was sad or hurting, a muffin was always doing miracles.

"One more mommy?" Sandy gave her a shy look, while she was still holding the muffin partially tasted "Please!" this was her safety key for success.

Meredith gave her a kiss on the top of the head smiling "I think that this is big enough for now! I don't know why all of the sudden Izzie has started to make them twice bigger than normal!" and she gave Sandy a suspicious look, that made her giggle "I would believe that you two made and agreement or something upon this!"

In that moment, Sandy bitted her lip and returned the look to her muffin, avoiding this way any other comment of her mother's about this.

Meredith had just finished with the dishes and Sandy had eaten only half from her muffin, when someone knocked on door.

"Stay quiet here and try to hurry up with that, ok?" Meredith asked Sandy as she was going out from kitchen to answer.

"Hi Addison!" Meredith opened the door wide so that Addison can step in.

"How are you?" Addison asked her a little hesitant and worried.

Meredith gave her a smile and motioned to follow her in kitchen "I am taking the breakfast with Sandy, so I am better" she said it as a whisper when they passed near Derek's room.

"No news from him?"

"He is here! He came late last night and now he is sleeping!"

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, just that he is not coming to work today because he has some work to do!" Meredith shook her head disappointed and entered the kitchen.

Because Sandy was there and they didn't want her to find out anything for moment, Addison just patted her shoulder as encouragement.

"Good morning little muffin!" Addison grabbed Sandy's head from behind and gave her a kiss.

Sandy looked up at her smiling with the mouth foul from the grassy muffin.

"Do you want us to take you today to work?"

"Yeah, it would be a great, but we need to ask this young lady to hurry up a little with the dessert."

Addison and Meredith took a seat on table, each of them on each Sandy's side.

"You have to finish that, because we are using Izzie's car today and we all know how strict she is concerning the cleaning."

"Did you hear that Sandy? Try to hurry up or we will miss the ride with Izzie!"

Sandy nodded and started to hurry with the eating.

When she was done, Meredith lifted her over the sink and helped her to wash her hands, and then she put her down.

"I'll bring your back bag and the raincoat! Stay here with Addie, ok?"

Sandy nodded and went to the chair where Addison was standing so that she can pick her up and put her on her lap.

When she saw herself in Addison's lap, Sandy started to play with her long and redhead hair, wrapping small strands on her forefinger "Addie, will you come with us today to park?"

In the meantime, Addison had started to do the same thing with Sandy's brown hair.

"If it won't rain and if your mommy will agree to go to park today, then yes!"

"I am bored Addie, I don't like the rain!" Sandy was continuing to keep her attention over Addison's hair; her voice was sounding very sad and indeed very bored.

"If it will rain, then we can play inside!"

At Addison's proposal, Sandy sighed and rested her head on her chest. Addison saw her still sleepy, so not to let her fall asleep, she put her back down and stood up taking her hand to take her in living room.

When they were coming out from kitchen, Meredith was just coming to them, holding Sandy's bag, her small jacket and the raincoat. Addison helped Sandy to put the jacket on and bag on her shoulders, while Meredith was dressing herself.

"Ready!" Meredith straightened the jacket and pulled out the hair from behind the neck. She gave her hand to Sandy to lead her out "Let's go!"

Sandy refused to take it and started to walk to Derek's room "I want to say bye to Derek!"

Meredith hurried her steps after Sandy and grabbed her arm "He is sleeping Sandy! Let's go!"

Sandy looked resignedly at her mother and followed her outside without any objections. Addison patted with encouragement Meredith's back and left the apartment, locking it after them.

Down in garage Izzie and Christina were waiting for them pacing around the car.

"Finally!" Izzie shouted throwing her hands nervous in air.

"I am sorry!" Meredith approached them "Blame this longing young lady and the person who baked big muffins!" she gave her a suggestive smile while she was opening the door from the back seats so that Sandy can step in.

Izzie just smiled back and returned to the driver's seat without commenting more about this.

Christina took the seat next to Izzie, and Meredith and Addison in back with Sandy between them well-tight with the safety belt.

Izzie took the car outside and immediately the rain started to pour over it. Sandy let out a painful sigh when she saw how the bad the weather was.

Meredith and Addison felt her disappointment and both patted her legs.

"Maybe it will stop until evening!" Addison bent to her ear and whispered.

Sandy looked up at her and nodded, but not very confident in Addison's encouragements.

As they were tending to hospital, Sandy started to fuss near her mother lap trying to take a better view outside on window.

"Do you want to come at me to look closer?" Meredith asked when she saw her restless.

When Sandy nodded, Meredith released her from tight and picked her up to put her on her lap with the face turned to window.

"Mommy, the sky is crying?" She asked her as she was having again her eyes up on sky, bringing in the same time a smile on the others' faces.

"Yes sweetie!"

Sandy sighed and rested her chin on the window's edge continuing to watch the sky sad "Why is the sky so sad? It cries all the time!" she asked again bouncing her face with every word that she was articulating.

"I don't know!"

"She likes to ask questions!" Addison smiled amused at Sandy's curiosity.

"Yeah, and from what I have noticed she has a special interest in sky! Last night we had a long talk about it!"

In that moment Sandy raised her head and moved her position in Meredith's lap with the face turned to Addison, who was sitting behind Izzie's chair.

"Addie, how can the baby breathe in mommy's tummy?" She remembered the question that she hadn't received an answer for in the previous night.

"Umm…" Addison gave a puzzled look to Meredith, who in exchange just smiled at her and shrugged.

"Mommy said she doesn't know!"

"Very smart of you Meredith!" Christina laughed from her seat. For this Meredith hit her chair with the foot.

"Umm… the baby has a cord on their belly and they breathe through it!" Addison tried to find a simple explanation for Sandy's question.

Sandy looked at her with disbelief and shook her had "The baby breathes through nose and mouth Addie" she started to giggle with sympathy for Addison's little mistake "Nobody can breathe through belly! Right mommy?" she then turned her look to Meredith and asked convinced that her mother will agree with her.

"This happens when the baby comes out from tummy; before that the baby breathes through a cord, just how Addie told you!"

Sandy looked at her and shook her head "You don't know anything mommy!" she twitted her mother "How is it Izzie? Do you know?"

Izzie kept her attention on road all the way, but her ears were also at the conversation that Sandy had started with the others "Well sweetie… Addie and mommy are right, this is how the baby breathes! It's weird I know, but this is the way it happens!"

Sandy remained quiet meditating on the explanation that she had just received.

"But how is the baby coming out from there?" This time she addressed the question to everyone, while her eyes were again over the window from her mother's seat.

"I like her! She will become a great doctor with her avidity for information! She is pretty smart for a 4 years old girl!" Christina said impressed from her seat. With all this, she didn't gave a sign that she wants to give her an answer.

"I am almost 5, Christina!" Sandy shouted offended at her and then looked at each of them waiting for a response.

Meredith motioned to Addison to hurry and give Sandy an answer.

"Umm… through mommy's tummy! We cut them open and we take the baby out from there!"

Sandy instantly took a shocked look on her face and horrified in the same time looking up at Meredith "Mommy!"

"It's true sweetie!" Meredith ran slowly the fingers through Sandy's hair.

"I will never have babies!" Sandy said scared and put her head on Meredith's chest.

"It's not painful at all Sandy! The doctor put you to sleep and while you are sleeping the baby is taken out from there!"

"I don't want to be cut on tummy!" Sandy shook her head firmly and returned to window resting her head on her mother.

"At least she stopped with the question about sex!"

"Christina!" Meredith hit Christina's chair again.

In that moment, Sandy raised her head and shook it "I know what is it! Mark told me!"

Izzie had just stopped at the red light when Sandy said that and everyone turned their faces to her.

"He did?" they all asked shocked.

Sandy nodded.

"What did he tell you?" Meredith asked her afraid to find out the answer.

"He told me that it is a game that you and Derek are playing together!" Her answer came natural. "But why don't you play it with me too?" She asked her a little sad.

When they heard that, Christina burst into a hysteric laugh, Izzie and Addison started to laugh silently and Meredith buried her face extremely embarrassed in Sandy's neck.

"I am going to kill him! I am going to kill him!" Meredith started to mumble.

"Mommy!" Sandy looked at her mother and patted her cheek to look at her.

"Sandy, I don't know what Mark is talking about and from now on I deny you to be his friend and to listen everything that he tells you!"

"Why?"

"Because… because he makes fun of you!"

"Oh!" Sandy took a sad expression on her face, when she heard that about her newest friend.

"Addison, you have to talk to your boyfriend and tell him to stay away from her!" Meredith glared her.

"Wait, wait! Mark is not my boyfriend, we are just having sex together which doesn't make us a couple, so don't tell me about this!"

"Addie, what is that sex?" This time Sandy asked Addison, because she seemed to know what is it.

"Go on … Addie, tell her!" Meredith smiled at her.

All of the sudden, Addison started to feel uncomfortable on her seat so she started to fuss.

"Addie!" Sandy was still waiting for her to answer.

"Ask Izzie!" Addison said fast passing this way the question to Izzie.

"Izzie!" Now Sandy's eyes were on Izzie.

Izzie jammed on the footbrake exactly when she arrived into the hospital's parking lot. She looked in the rear-view mirror at Sandy and saw her eyes on her. Immediately she turned off the engine and opened the door fast "We are here and we are late, so let's hurry!" and she got out very quickly.

Everyone followed her, but when she stepped out from car, Sandy put the question again "What is that sex?" this time she was addressing the question to everybody.

Christina opened her umbrella and held over her and over Sandy's, while she was slamming the door from her seat. "It is something that you will find out when you will grow up!"

"But I am not little! I am big girl, right mommy?" She turned at Meredith and took her hand.

"Not big enough baby!"

"When you will grow up like the rest of us you will find out and you will be very pleasantly surprised to find out what is it! Until then, shut up with this subject!" Christina told her.

Meredith was holding Sandy's hand and together with Christina, they started to walk to entrance.

"Thank you!" Meredith whispered to Christina.

"You're welcome!"

In the main lobby they broke up, Addison, Izzie and Christina heading to work, and Meredith with Sandy to daycare.

"Be a good girl and don't upset Mrs. Maggie ok sweetie?" Meredith took her inside and kneeled in front of her.

"Ok!"

Meredith stood up and saw Mrs. Maggie, the supervisor coming to them.

"Good morning Sandy, Dr. Grey!" she greeted them politely.

"Good morning Mrs. Maggie!" Sandy went to her and took her hand.

"I'll come to take her at lunch!"

"Dr. Shepherd can come and take her?" Maggie asked her.

In that moment, Meredith reminded again of Derek "Yes, but I doubt that he will come today!"

"Ok! I'll see you then! Have a nice day Dr. Grey!"

"Bye mommy!" Sandy waved back at Meredith.

"Bye sweetie!" Meredith let out a sigh and headed back to the surgical wing to start her day.

----------------------------------------------

"What do we have?"

"35 years old man, victim of a car crash; he is conscious, the blood pressure is normal, a head traumatism"

Meredith came to see the patient that she had been paged for. When she approached the stretcher that he was standing, she remained shocked with the eyes on him.

"Nick?"

"Meredith!" Nick tried to give her a smile "Awkward isn't it?"

Meredith started to give him a quick check "What happened this time?"

"It was not my fault and trust me that I didn't do it purposely!" he tried to make it sound like a joke, but Meredith ignored it.

"Take him up for a CT and page me when you're done!" she told to one of the interns that received him.

"Sure Dr. Grey!"

"I'll come to check on you later!" Meredith told Nick, keeping a cold and indifferent attitude.

"Meredith!" He wanted to ask her to stay, but Meredith turned around on her heels and left.

----------------------------------------------

"How is he?" Meredith came into an exam room, where Nick and the intern were.

"There are no signs of internal bleeding, he has just the left arm broken, for which I paged Dr. Torres!" The intern told Meredith everything about Nick's status.

"It looks like you don't need hospitalization, so you will be able to go home by noon! Discharge him after Dr. Torres's puts his cast" And saying this, Meredith turned around to leave.

"Meredith, please!" Nick called her and made her stop in the doorway. "Please talk to me!"

Meredith returned to him and motioned to the intern to leave them alone. She crossed her arms and kept her face to window.

"I don't know what do you want me to tell you! I left and you didn't bother to get in contact with me after that night!"

"I am sorry about then! I did call you, but… I didn't have the courage to talk! I am truly sorry for what I said then and I swear that my feelings for you and Sandy were honest."

Meredith looked at him and laughed ironic "Yeah right!"

"I am sorry that you don't trust in me anymore!"

A few moments of silence fell over them, while Meredith was staring outside at rain and Nick was standing in his sit with the look down on floor.

"How is Sandy?" he asked her.

"Sandy is fine!" … "She cut her hair!"

"She did?" Nick smiled surprised "This is something that I really want to see!"

At his statement Meredith remained quiet and with the look out.

"I miss you Meredith and I miss Sandy! I want to see her!"

Meredith faced him angry "It took you months Nick… 6 damn months to realize that you miss us? Do you want me to believe this crap?"

"No Meredith, I have missed you since the moment that you left that night but…" he stopped and looked back on floor.

"But what Nick?"

"I am too ashamed about what I told you then and I know that you think that I am interested in Sandy's money but… it's not true! Trust me, I do care about you and Sandy and …" he took a short pause "I want us to try again and to let me prove you that I am honest!"

Meredith continued to look at him stunned by all the things that he was telling her.

"I have money Meredith, I don't need hers!"

Meredith refused to listen more so she headed to door.

"I want to see Sandy, please! Just for a few minutes!"

"Impossible!" Meredith responded him coldly. Right in that moment her phone rang and looking at ID she saw Derek's name.

She went out of Nick's room and closed the door behind her.

"Hi!"

"_Hi Meredith! How's your day?"_

"Not very busy! In fact, I think that I am going to take Sandy earlier for lunch!"

"_Listen…"_

Meredith knew in that moment what he was about to say "What is it?"

"_I am sorry but I cannot come to have the lunch with you, so don't wait for me ok?"_ [/

When she heard that, Meredith let herself to slide along the wall that she was leaned on and let the tears to flow along her cheeks.

"Ok" she managed to keep a calm tone in her voice.

"_I am sorry Meredith! I really am! I'll come to pick you up after your shift!" _

"Sure" and she shut the phone down. She rested her head for a while on her knees, ignoring the others' stares.

Her phone rang two more times, but Meredith ignored them seeing that they were coming from Derek. She wiped her tears and stood up on her feet straightening her clothes.

After she had left from Nick, Meredith remained in front of his door and talked to Derek. Now her first impulse was to go back in there.

"We are having the lunch in patio in half an hour!" She told him as she opened the door, avoiding his eyes and then she left.

Her entire walk to elevator felt like she was living a nightmare. She doesn't know how she got in or how she managed to press the right button, but in the moment that she stepped in it, her body leaned against the wall.

"_What am I doing? What am I doing?"_ She closed her eyes tight, trying in this way to keep her tears in the tear ducts.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Mommy, did you see? The rain has stopped!" Sandy was balancing cheerful the arms by her body, waiting near her mother to buy her the lunch.

"Thank you!" Meredith handed a bill to the salesman and picked up the tray. "I saw sweetie! Let's go!"

Sandy grabbed her mother's lab coat and started to walk with her "This means that we can go to park later?" while her eyes were searching for someone.

"If it won't start again, yes!" Meredith's eyes were searching for someone too, but a different person form the one Sandy was looking for.

She saw Nick waiting for them to a table, so she headed towards him. They stopped at his table and Meredith put the tray down "Hi!"

Nick stood up smiling to greet them "Hi! Hi Sandy!" he bent down at her.

Sandy didn't answer him and hided her hand to back "Mommy, where is Derek?" she asked her worried seeing Nick there and her mother sitting down at his table.

"He cannot come to eat with us!" and saying that she lifted her up on a chair next to her.

"Call him mommy!" Sandy was begging her with a crying voice.

Meredith sighed and brushed her hair away from forehead "He called me and told me that he cannot come! Now say hello to Nick!"

Sandy frowned and looked mad at him refusing to say anything to him.

"I am sorry for this!" Meredith excused her to Nick.

"It's fine! So … who is Derek?"

"My boyfriend!" she answered him quietly and put the food in front of Sandy. "Now please eat, Sandy!"

Sandy took the fork from her and started to eat pouted.

The lunch was rather quiet; just a few words had been said and those were about their jobs. Sandy continued to stay pouted and ate her food in complete silence and looking just at it.

"Meredith, can I speak to you?" Addison approached her very surprised to see her having the lunch with Nick.

"Hello Addison!" he greeted her politely.

"Hi!" her answer came quickly and cold "Please Meredith!"

"Ok, I'll be right back!" Meredith stood up from her chair and turned around to follow Addison. When she did that, she saw Sandy standing up too.

"Sandy, I've told you I will be right back, so get back on your place and finish the food!"

"I want to come with you!" Sandy was already at her feet hanging on her coat.

Meredith took her hand and leaded her back on table "Stay here with Nick for a second while I speak to Addie!"

Sandy pouted even worse this time and refused to eat anymore, when Meredith put her back on table. Meredith just rolled her eyes annoyed; her life was crappy enough in that moment, so she just turned her back on her to avoid a fight and headed to Addison, who was waiting for her a few table away from theirs.

"Meredith, what in the hell are you doing?" Addison immediately snapped at her, when Meredith was near her.

"I am having lunch Addison!" She answered her in the same harsh tone.

"Meredith what is he doing here?"

"He had a car accident… again and I was his doctor…again and he wanted to see Sandy!"

"Again?" Addison started to shake Meredith's arm, like she would have wanted to wake her up to reality "Meredith, are you having amnesia or what? Don't you remember who this Nick is?"

Meredith released her arm from Addison's shake and covered her face with both hands.

"Meredith" Addison gave a squeeze to one of her hands "Don't hurry and especially, don't do something stupid because of Derek! You don't need Nick to get over him, you have Sandy and you have us! Don't look for comfort at Nick, because you know very well that you won't find it!"

Meredith wiped the face with both palms before removing them. She nodded at Addison's advice "I'll see you later!" and she headed back to Sandy and Nick.

She returned at her seat and tried to convince Sandy to eat a little bit more; she couldn't swallow anything or say anything more to Nick. Because at one point Sandy refused to eat more, Meredith agreed to take her back to daycare and to return to work. She stood up picking up her tray.

Nick followed her up "Meredith… can I call you or visit you?"

Meredith gave him a glance and shook her head "No!" and left the table followed by Sandy.

----------------------------

"_Hey Shep!"_

"Hi Mark! Did you find out?"

"_Yes! She ends her shift at 6 o'clock! You still couldn't reach her?"_

"No, she ignores my calls!"

"_Man, are you sure that you want to do this?"_

"I am very sure! I should hurry because it is almost 6!"

"_What can I say… you've lost your minds!"_

"I'll talk to you later and thank you for your help!"

"_Sure! I am heading home now; your boxes ruined my back!"_

"Bye Mark!"

Derek got in his car and started to drive to hospital.

Derek arrived there with a few minutes before 6 o'clock and because he didn't want to look for her around the surgical floor and to miss her, he decided to wait for her and Sandy down in lobby. He took a seat and rested his head in hands looking down and patting nervous the foot.

"_Derek, Derek!"_ Sandy's voice was resounding cheerful in that big lobby. He looked up into the direction that he had heard the sound coming from and saw Sandy running fast to him, after she had left her mother's hand.

"Derek, Derek!" She was calling him frenetically until she got to him.

From the first moment he saw her, Derek stood up from chair and kneeled, so that he can receive her in his arms. He also saw, since the first second, that Meredith was sad and again she was avoiding to look at him.

"Derek!" Sandy finally stopped in his arms hugging him.

"Hello Sandy!" he took her in his arms and stood up holding her.

"You didn't eat with us today!" she looked at him sad.

"I had to finish the surprise that I have for you! Do you remember what I told you this morning?"

Sandy smiled wide at him and nodded "What surprise?"

"Well, I don't want to reveal anything!" he smiled at her and gave her a kiss.

He saw Meredith approaching them slowly.

"What are you doing here?"

Her question concerned him; she was indeed mad of him.

He thought that he might know the reason, so to cheer her up a little, he put an arm around her waist, "I came to pick you up, I've told you I will come!"

"Yeah!"

"Come!" he gave her the hand to follow him, but she refused to take it and started to walk in front of them.

Derek didn't insist and followed her carrying a very happy Sandy in his arms.

----------------------------------

"Derek, where are we going?" Meredith asked him confused, when she saw that Derek was not on the known road.

"Somewhere!" He smiled at her and returned his attention on road.

During the ride, no words had been said between Derek and Meredith. It was obvious that Meredith was not comfortable with Derek's presence, but Derek didn't force her to talk knowing that this tension will disappear very soon. Or at least, this is what he hoped.

"A lake! Mommy, look a lake!" Sandy jumped from her seat, but just a little being blocked by the safety belt. Her eyes grew big and filled with excitement seeing the view from outside.

Meredith was looking confused at that landscape. On the right side of the road it was indeed a lake, not a very big one and surrounded by a few trees.

She looked curious at Derek and saw his excited smile, which was confusing her even more. He didn't seem depressed about the position that he had lost anymore. He was looking… normal, like Derek she knew.

Derek felt her eyes on him and through a glance he sent her a smile. He was confident that soon she will smile back at him.

After just a few seconds, Derek pulled the car outside the road and turned off the engine.

"Come" he looked at Meredith with a big and proud smile on his face while he was opening the door from his car.

Meredith looked at him shocked and when he got out of the car, her eyes turned to the place where he had stopped the car.

Derek opened the door for her too and Sandy's helping her to get out.

Sandy jumped out curious from car and remained close to it while her eyes were analyzing the surroundings curious.

"Come on Mer!" Derek returned to Meredith and offered his hand to help her get out.

Meredith gave him a short stare, but after one more insisting smile from Derek, she put her hand in his and followed him out.

They were like somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The last house that they saw on their way there was 10 minutes ago. Now they were having in front of them the trees, the lake that caught Sandy's attention earlier, it could be seen not very far from there and a trailer.

"So? What do you think?" Derek asked smiling wide.

"Umm" Meredith was still too confused to understand was happening "What are we doing here?"

"I wanted to show you my new investment! What do you think Sandy? Do you like it here?"

Sandy seemed thrilled by that landscape. She looked up at Derek smiling and nodded.

"You bought this?" Meredith asked him as she started to move ahead from car looking around her.

"I did! Shortly after I moved from Mark! I didn't have too much time to take care of it; the trailer came with the price, so I decided to keep it; now I think that I was lucky to get it since two constructors failed me with their plans, and now… I decided to show it to you!"

"Why?"

Meredith's question came out with stupor from her mouth that made Derek to put aside his smile and look at her serious.

"Why I bought it? Because I wanted a bigger place to live in!" but his answer was incomplete.

"So … you are not going back to New York?" she asked him hesitant.

Derek brought back his smile and laughed "No! Why should I go back there? I love Seattle!"

The tension that had caught Meredith's heart and mind started to dissolve "You do?"

"I do!" Derek's answer was again incomplete.

"Let's go inside!" he took Sandy's hand and looked back at Meredith motioning her to follow him.

"Inside where Derek?" Sandy looked up at him and asked curious.

"In there!" he told her pointing to trailer.

"In that car?" her question was now more curious.

Derek smiled amused at her and nodded "In that car!" He started to walk holding her hand towards to trailer.

Just when they were at their half way, Derek noticed that Meredith was not following them, so he stopped and turned around to her.

"Are you coming?"

Meredith nodded "In a second… go ahead!"

Derek nodded back and returned at their walk. He helped Sandy to climb the stairs up on the little porch and opened the door inviting her to go in first.

"There is a bed in it," Sandy said surprised by the interior of that car.

Derek understood her wonder and smiled motioning her to go in.

"This car has furniture!"

"It's called a trailer, Sandy and it has furniture so that people can live in it"

"Who lives here?"

"I am"

Sandy looked up at him scared "But you live with mommy and me" she said it low and with sadness.

Derek took her up in his arms and took her in the small bedroom, where he put her down on bed "You and your mommy are very welcomed here"

"We are?"

Derek brushed her hair with his finger and smiled "You are"

"But it's small!"

"It is now, but when I will build a house you can have your own room!"

Sandy smiled excited by Derek's idea and started to look around her again.

"Do you like the lake?"

Sandy turned her eyes on him again and nodded.

"Later we can take a walk to see it closer!"

"Can we?"

"Sure"

Sandy's smile disappeared again and the sadness forestalled her face.

"What is it?" Derek asked her when he saw that.

Sandy sighed and looked down at her legs "Mommy said that I cannot ask you to be my daddy!"

This touched Derek so deeply that he took her in his arms caressing her. He let her go and stood up to search into a bag.

Sandy followed him with her look curious.

"Here!" He handed her a coloring book and some crayons "Colour this book while I go out to talk to your mommy, ok?"

He took off her hat and the jacket and put them near her on bed, then he gave her a kiss and left her there painting.

Outside, he saw Meredith in the same spot that he had left her.

"She likes it here" Derek came and stopped next to her, both of them keeping their looks around them.

It was still light outside, so they could contemplate over the rusty look that the fall had brought over the nature.

"It is beautiful, it was impossible not to like it!"

"Do you like it too?" Derek gave her a glance to see her eyes still over the landscape.

Meredith turned to Derek hesitating to talk, until he looked at her too placing a smile on his face.

"When are you moving here?"

Derek came closer to her and sneaking a hand around her waist he pulled her to him, "I think that you meant to say, when we are going to move!"

Meredith didn't know what to say, so she remained quiet with her eyes fixing his as if she would have wanted to read him.

Derek brought her in his arms kissing gently her lips and intertwined his fingers with hers "Do you think that I would come to live alone here?" he asked smiling "I would be very bored here without Sandy and I would miss her and her mommy too much!"

"So you want us in!" she answered as if she would have wanted to receive one more confirmation that what she had just listened was true.

"I want you in" he confirmed and let his mouth to look for hers to kiss it "I want you here…" he said motioning to surroundings "I want you in my life!"

Derek let her fingers, so that he can wipe a tear that she had let it slip from her eye and rubbed gently her cheek. "You thought that I will go back to New York, didn't you? Why?"

Meredith let her face to slip from his hand and turned her head in the opposed side.

"Mer!" he called her to bring her look back on him.

"You wanted so much to be a chief, but you didn't get it so…"

"But what made you believe that will leave?" Derek interrupted her.

"You were absent since then and I thought that…" Meredith was again interrupted by Derek, who laughed and brought her face back on him.

"I know, and I am sorry for this, but I have a good excuse!" he said smiling wide "I wanted to have all prepared by today!"

Meredith looked at him confused "Prepared?"

"Yes, this!" he said pointing again on trailer and the surroundings "I wanted have it ready! I guess that you don't remember what day is today but… I forgive you if you forgive me back for my absence from these days."

"What day is today?" Meredith asked a little embarrassed, bringing even a small smile on her face.

Derek smiled satisfied to see her lighting up again and gave her a quick kiss "14th of October"

"Ok…" she still didn't have any clue what he was referring at.

"6 months ago, on 14th of April we met in park!"

Meredith giggled impressed by his memory "And you memorized the date!"

Derek took her cheek back in his hand and started to rub it gently "Two days after I arrived in Seattle I fell in love with this wonderful woman and her gorgeous daughter, so it is impossible to forget!"

Meredith stared in his eyes, with teary eyes.

"I didn't want to do it like this, but I guess that there won't be any better time!" and in just a second, Derek disappeared from Meredith's gaze.

She immediately found him kneeled in front of her smiling wide and holding a small opened box that was revealing a ring.

"Marry me Meredith!"

Meredith opened her mouth to say something, but her jaws remained blocked making her face to look stunned.

"Marry me Meredith!" Derek repeated it into same loving manner as the first time.

Only after his second proposal, Meredith could come back from her daze. She slowly shook her head "No… we can't" her voice was mumbling.

Derek stood up undiscouraged or worried; he kept his smile and confidence on his face as he took her face into his hands to kiss it.

Meredith continued to shake her head slowly in his hands "It's too soon and… are you sure?"

"Meredith I am more then sure that I want us to be a family, that I want to give Sandy a daddy, a house by a lake! I am sure that I cannot imagine my life without you in it! I am sure that it might be a brain damage from your hit, but I am also sure that I don't want it to be fixed. I am sure that I want you to be mine for the rest of my life! Marry…"

His words remained in his mouth, because Meredith refused to give them the chance to come out. She was already kissing him passional.

When he felt her attached to his face, Derek took her in his arms keeping her tight to him and responding her with the same passion.

"I guess I don't have to repeat the question!" Derek told her when he pulled his face back so that he can catch some air and to look into her eyes.

Meredith nodded and pulled his face back to her for one more kiss.

"I love you so much Meredith!"

"I love you to Derek!"

Both of them looked into each other's eyes to see the sparkle from them.

Derek was the one who broke the gaze. "I almost forgot!" he brought the hand that was holding her back and took the ring to place it on her finger.

Meredith gave just a glance to the ring that Derek was putting on her finger returning her eyes at him.

Once that he put her the ring, Derek took her hand in his and squeezed it, giving her in the same time one more kiss. He pulled her then into his arms, keeping her there into a tight hug.

"We don't have to get married today, even though I would love to" Derek told her while his face was buried in her hair. "But I want you to know that I am here to stay and that you can trust in me from now on."

Meredith continued to rest her head on his shoulder, while her hand was rubbing his back.

"There might be small problem!" Derek told her as he broke the hug and looked at her pretending to be serious.

The sparkle from his eyes betrayed him, so Meredith didn't fret and looked at him with a questioning look.

"Sandy!" he told her bringing back the smile on his face "We have to ask Sandy's permission!"

"Indeed, she might be a problem" Meredith replayed smiling.

Derek took her by hand and leaded her to trailer.

When they approached the porch, Derek called Sandy to come out!

"And take your jacket too!" Derek added.

"_Ok"_

Derek and Meredith waited for her to come out, but because she was late to show up, Derek called her again "Sandy"

"_I cannot open the door!"_ her voice came from inside.

Derek laughed and let Meredith's hand to go to her "I have to take care of this problem" he told Meredith laughing as he was climbing the stairs up on porch.

He opened the door and saw Sandy standing right there. When she saw herself out from trailer, Sandy stepped out looking up at Derek and smiling.

Because she was having difficulties to zip her jacket, Derek helped her and then he took her in his arms to bring her to her mother. He put her down and kneeled in front of her.

"I heard that you want to ask me something!" he told her while he was arranging a few strands from her hair under the hat.

At first, Sandy looked at him curious, but she soon remembered what was the thing she wanted to ask him, so she looked up at her mother.

"Go on, you can ask him!" Meredith motioned her to talk, knowing that she was waiting for her approval.

Sandy looked at Derek, then back at Meredith like she was not having the dare to put the question.

"Don't you want to ask me, Sandy?" Derek asked when he saw her hesitation. "Or no… look! I am going to ask you something first, then you can ask me, ok?"

Sandy nodded and waited curious his question.

"I asked your mommy to marry me and she agreed, but now we don't know if you want me to be your daddy! Would you want me to be your daddy, Sandy?"

"Really?" Sandy asked him almost with disbelief.

"Really, I would love to be your daddy… if you want me too of course!"

Sandy's face lightened up instantly from the huge smile that had appeared on her face and nodded happy.

"You do?" Derek asked her one more time.

"I do Derek! I do!" and she jumped immediately at his neck hanging herself on it.

Derek took her small body in his arms and picked her up laughing "It's so hard to take an 'I do' from you and from your mommy!" he winked at Meredith who was standing near them watching at Sandy's happiness. "Starting from this moment I don't want to hear you calling me Derek, ok?"

Sandy looked at him and nodded, then she started to place many kisses on his cheek.

"But…" Derek needed to add something more "I am your daddy, so I can punish you too when you are naughty, did we have it clear?"

Sandy didn't believe in what Derek was telling her; because even if he was her daddy now, she knew that he is still Derek, so she nodded firmly and kissed him again.

"Good, now let's take a short walk to lake! What do you say?" he put Sandy down offering his hand.

Sandy accepted it gladly and then she took her mother's too looking up at her smiling proud.

Because the leafs were still wet, so Derek took off his jacket and put it down. He took a seat down on it followed by Meredith and then he pulled Sandy down on his lap, allowing in the same time to Meredith to rest herself on him.

"Derek, when is the house ready?" Sandy asked him as she was resting in his arms with the look over the lake.

"What? I thought that we agreed to call me daddy from now on!" he moved her so then she can face him "Did you already change your mind?" he pretended to be disappointed.

Sandy stood up in knees and hang on his neck, resting her head on his shoulder "I love you daddy!"

When he heard Sandy calling him daddy for the first time, Derek felt so touched that he immediately wrapped his arms around her body and tightened it on him "I love you too Sandy!" He pressed a strong kiss on her temple and took her head in his hands "We'll move in the new house, hmm… probably on your next birthday and we'll have the party here!"

"Really?" Sandy's eyes grew of excitement when she heard that.

"I promise!"

Sandy giggled happy and put her head back on his shoulder smiling very happy.

She then bent down to her mother's ear "When is my birthday?"

Derek and Meredith smiled at each other.

"There are 7 months left until then!" she told her.

Sandy looked at her confused, not knowing exactly how much 7 months mean.

"Very soon sweetie!" Meredith told her when she saw that.

When she heard that, Sandy put her head back down on Derek and let out a shiver because of the chill wind that had started to blow.

Derek felt her starting to shiver "We'd better go inside, it's getting cold and I don't want to get my family sick from the first day?" he smiled at Meredith and stood up holding Sandy in his arms. He gave his hand to Meredith to help her stand up too.

"I think that we would better go home now, it's late, Sandy has to eat! We'll go inside next time!"

Derek looked at Meredith and shook his head smiling "I have everything we need to stay here over night! Come!" he offered his free hand and leaded her inside.

"Wow!" Meredith stepped in first and the look of the interior impressed her "You have everything that you need in here!"

Derek put Sandy down and helped her to take the jacket off. Once that she felt her body released from the jacket's weight ran to the bed where she had left the book from Derek.

"I have absolutely everything that I need right now!" Derek put his arm around Meredith's waist and pulled her close to him for a kiss.

"Me too!" Meredith mumbled from his mouth.

"Mommy, look!" Sandy called her cheerful, setting Derek and Meredith apart.

Meredith smiled at Derek and patted his arm when she saw his disappointment that he has to let her go from him.

"What is it sweetie?" Meredith came to bed and picked Sandy up, setting her on bed.

"Look what daddy gave me!" Sandy showed her to coloring book and the crayons.

Meredith looked at Derek, who was watching them smiling and saw the sparkle from his eyes when he heard Sandy calling him daddy again.

"Did you thank him for these?" Meredith asked her.

With an ashamed look and biting her lip, Sandy shook her head and immediately let herself to slip out of bed and ran to Derek.

She raised her arms to him, so that she can be picked up.

"Thank you daddy!" She wrapped her little arms around his neck, when she was up in his arms and gave him a kiss on each cheek.

"Your welcome sweetie!" Derek repeated her gesture and then he put her down "Now go and paint with your mommy until I make the dinner, ok?"

"Ok!" Sandy shook her head up and down as sign of understanding and ran back to her mother.

Meredith and Sandy laid on bed with the book and the crayons between them, sharing the same activity, while Derek was preparing the dinner, giving them glances from time to time and listening at everything they were talking about.

"Let's do this page mommy!"

"Ok, you take the lake and I take the clouds!"

"That is orange sweetie! You have to use the blue color for lake!"

"But I saw the lake orange and I like it better orange!"

"Ok, you can use orange and say it was evening and I will use some red for my clouds."

"Dinner is ready!" Derek called them and put an end to their artistic moment.

Meredith helped Sandy to wash her hands and then she put her down on table between her and Derek.

"Let me carve the steak sweetie!" Meredith took the knife and the fork.

Sandy placed her arm over the plate, refusing to let her mother touch her stick.

"Don't you want me to help you?" Meredith asked her.

"No!" Sandy shook her head and then pushed her plate to her right side, where Derek had just set down "Help me daddy!" she smiled at him.

"What? Now I am useless?" Meredith asked her amused when she saw Sandy refusing her help and asking Derek's.

Sandy just looked up at her smiling and then she returned her eyes on the steak that Derek had already started to slice it for her.

"You're jealous!" Derek gave her a smirk.

"No I am not jealous!" Meredith rejected firmly his statement.

Derek lowered behind Sandy's back at Meredith and kissed her. "You are so jealous!"

Meredith slapped his back playfully and shook her head smiling.

"You think you can handle all these?" Meredith asked him pointing on Sandy "You will call for my help soon… both of you!"

Derek just smirked at her again and then he moved his attention to his food.

After dinner and after one puzzled resolved together, Sandy needed to get ready for sleep.

Derek took out from one of the drawers a pair of pajamas. He saw Meredith's surprise when he handed her Sandy's pajama.

"Are you impressed?"

Meredith took it from him smiling "Very impressed!"

"Good!" he put his arms around her waist to take her in his arms and kiss her, first on forehead, then on each cheek, and then on lips.

Sandy grabbed Meredith's back to help herself to stand up and took the pajama from Meredith to hand it back to Derek.

"Now Sandy you are big enough to dress yourself! Please don't spoil yourself!" Meredith warned her very serious.

"Please daddy!" Sandy ignored completely her mother and continued to plead to Derek.

"No Sandy, mommy is right! Dress yourself!" Derek also took a serious attitude regarding her that made Sandy to give up resignedly.

"Impressed?" Derek whispered to Meredith smiling.

"A little" Meredith giggled and put her hands on his neck "Now… do you have some clothes for me too?"

"As much as I prefer you naked… I do!" he gave her a quick kiss on lips and then he let her go to give her the nightclothes.

"You must have been worked very hard to prepare all these!" she told him as she put the clothes from him on bed.

"I did, but I have to admit that Mark helped me too! He bought the pajama for Sandy!"

Meredith smiled back at him "Speaking of Mark! We must have a serious talk about him!"

"Why? What did he do this time?"

"We'll talk about this later! Are you ready for bed Sandy?" she looked back at Sandy who had just finished with the dressing.

"Ready mommy, but I want a story!" she jumped on her knees near her mother.

"Ok; we'll have to think on one! Come now!" Meredith stood up and lifted the covers to let Sandy in and then she laid down next to her.

Derek came to them holding something that looked like a book.

"I have one more surprise for you, Sandy!" he gave her the book and took a seat on her other side.

Sandy looked curious at the book's cover and saw a rabbit on it.

"Do you know what book is it?" he asked her.

She looked up at him curious "No"

"It's the bunny's story, but with different pictures!"

Sandy was thrilled by her new gift and together with her mommy and her daddy she started to look over it, while Derek was telling her the story.

She remained awake until the end of the story, so that she can look over all the pictures from book.

After her favorite story, Derek saw himself forced to think on another one. Luckily for him and for Meredith, who was finding his new story extremely boring, Sandy fell asleep immediately.

"Come with me!" Derek whispered to Meredith and stood up slowly from bed. He leaded her on couch.

There he took a seat and pulled her down right next to him, taking her in his arms. Derek gently lifted her chin up to him and bent down to her lips. The kiss was soft at beginning, then a more intense and ended into a passional one. With each raise in intensity of their kiss, she was climbing on him more, running her hands through his curls, while his hands were running through her hair.

The sound of a cell phone pulled them apart immediately.

"Ignore it Mer!" Derek groaned when he saw her standing up and hurrying to her purse.

"I can't! It will wake up Sandy!" she found it fast in her purse and looked at id while she was heading to door "It's Christina! I'll take it outside!"

She hurried to get out from trailer, before the phone to disturb Sandy's sleep, so she forgot to take a jacket with her. The cold wind that had started to blow made her to shiver immediately.

"Hi Christina!"

"_Hey Mer! Where are you? How are you? We knocked at your door, but nobody answered"_

"I cannot tell you exactly where I am, because I am not very sure either and it is very cold outside because I forgot to take the jacket with me, so to tell you the short story: Derek, trailer, a lake, he proposed, I accepted and Sandy is now extremely happy because she has a daddy!" Meredith was enumerating to Christina the most important events from that evening.

"Ok! The only things that I've memorized were: Derek proposed, you accepted and Sandy has a daddy… Meredith, are you getting married?"

Meredith giggled as she was pacing around to warm a little. "Yeah!"

"_So… he stays here or you are moving with him in New York?"_

"Here it is another story, but because my ass froze I'll tell you just that Derek loves Seattle, so nobody is leaving. More details tomorrow!"

"_I can't wait!"_

"Ok, now tell me why did you call?"

"_Oh yeah… guess why Burke won the race for the Chief of surgery?"_

"Gossips Christina? Seriously, leave it for tomorrow!"

"_No, no! Now! I'll be fast I promise!"_

"Ok, spit it out!"

"_Derek won the race, but he stepped aside, so Burke was the board's second choice and therefore he ended as Chief! You cannot imagine how pissed off he is because all the hospital found out that he won the position just because Derek refused it! Omg, it is so good to see him so pissed off!"_

"Wait a second!" now Meredith stopped from pacing, because of the shocking news "What I memorized was: Derek got the chief, but he stepped aside?"

"_That's right!"_

"I don't understand… why?"

"_I have no idea Mer, but you can ask him"_

"Ok, thanks for this call and what can I say… I am happy for Burke?"

Christina started to laugh on phone _"Yes, we have to be happy for Burke's shameless winning! Congratulations Meredith!"_

"Thank you! I have to go now, because I cannot move my jaw anymore!"

"_Ok! I cannot wait for details, but one more thing!"_

"What is it?"

"_Can I be the one who tells Addison and Izzie the big news?"_

"Yes you can! Good night now!"

"_Good night Mer and have fun!"_ Christina giggled and then the line went dead.

Meredith ran immediately back in side and since she opened the door to get in, she was greeted by Derek, who came to her and wrapped his warm arms around her and brought her body into his. With a hot kiss, he warmed her lips immediately.

Derek took her back on couch, where he took a seat and pulled her into his lap.

Meredith snuggled in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

After a few moments of relaxation, Meredith raised her head and looked at Derek "Why did you refuse to accept the chief position?"

Derek smiled at her and started to run his fingers through her hair "I've changed my mind!"

"Why all of the sudden? You were determined to become the new chief of surgery"

Derek pulled her head to him and kissed her forehead "I thought about it very well and I realized in the last minute that I don't want it so much! It would keep me too much time far from you and Sandy!"

This time, Meredith was the one who took his face in his hands and kissed him.

Derek placed her more comfortable on his lap and started to kiss her; slowly his hands moved under her sweater and soon he lifted up over her head and removed it, revealing this way more from her skin.

"Derek, we should stop!" she whispered, while she was making real efforts to keep her moans silent. It was hard to do it, since Derek was moving his lips from her neck, down to the collarbone, and then back at the spots from her neck that he knew so well and returning them up to hers. "Derek… stop!"

"I can't!" his mouth left her skin just for a second to tell her this.

"Stop!" Meredith pushed him away "We are not having sex when Sandy is in the same room with us"

"Meredith, she is in bedroom, sleeping!"

"Derek! We are not doing this here, so stop!"

Derek put her down from his lap and stood up grabbing her wrist. He opened the door from the shower cabin and got in with her, starting up the water and undressing himself.

"Here we are safe!"

"Safe, but squashed too!"

Derek removed her clothes very fast, picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and leaned her back against the wall. He pressed his body into hers, so that he can feel her closer.

"_Mommy, mommy where are you?" _ Sandy's cry pulled them apart immediately and Meredith grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her.

At Derek's groan, Meredith patted his back smiling "You are used with the cold showers!" and she left the shower.

"Mommy!" Sandy was up in her sit crying.

Meredith went straight to her and took her in her arms "What happened baby?"

Sandy glued on Meredith's body and continued to cry in her chest.

"It was a nightmare?" Meredith asked trying to calm her down.

"It was dark and I was alone outside, mommy!"

"It's ok, mommy is here with you!" she put her on her lap smoothing gently her hair.

"Where are we mommy?" Sandy asked when she calmed down a little and looked sleepy around her.

"We are in Derek's trailer, do you remember?"

"Correction!" Derek had just stepped out from shower already dressed. He came in bed and set down next to Sandy "In daddy's trailer!"

Sandy rubbed her eyes sleepy, but still managing to smile at him. She left her mother's left and moved to Derek.

"Go and get dressed mommy, if you want to sleep with us!" Derek smirked at her, when he took Sandy in his arms.

Meredith sniffed at him and let Sandy with him.

When she returned to them, Sandy was talking in bed with Derek about something. She got in bed and laid down next to Sandy.

"Come on missy, let's sleep now!"

Sandy turned her face to Meredith and gave her a kiss "Good night mommy!"

"Good night sweetie!" she kissed her back and pulled her closer.

Sandy removed Meredith's hand from her and turned her face to Derek, snuggling in his arms "Good night daddy!" she gave him a kiss too and buried her face in his chest.

"Good night Sandy!" Then Derek raised his head from pillow and bent to kiss Meredith too. "Do you think that you can have place for you mommy too?" Derek asked Sandy, while he was pulling Meredith's body closer to them.

"Good night Meredith!"

"Good night Derek!"

Derek turned off the light and took both of his girls in his arms.

Sandy fell asleep for the first time in her daddy's arms; Meredith fell asleep snuggled in Sandy's body and with Derek's arm over Sandy and over her waist, next to her new family.

32


	11. I am not old

**This day is going to be spent together. It might be boring at beginning, but the second part it is better.**

**The next chapter will be much interesting, I promise!**

**-------------------------**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 10- I am not old**

The sun's rays soaked inside the trailer through the small windows, reflecting over Meredith's face. Her closed eyes started to blink intense, as she was waking up. Meredith turned on her back sleepy applying a few rubs to her eyes, so that she can open them. She first gave a glance to the spot where she knew that Sandy and Derek were sleeping just to find it empty and then her eyes moved over the clock from Derek's side and saw that it was already 7 a.m.

She didn't have to be at hospital until noon, but she didn't know what Derek was going to do or if he had already left and took Sandy with him. As her head was waking up more and more, Meredith heard something coming from outside that seemed like a far giggle. She recognized immediately Sandy's giggle and she thought that she heard Derek's voice too. A last run of her hand over her face caught her attention over the ring that Derek had given to her in the previous evening. Last night she ignored it completely when Derek put it on her finger; his confession, his proposal, Sandy's happiness, all these made that ring to be insignificant and a minor detail from the row of all the events that happened.

When she heard them again, Meredith instantly woke up completely and let herself out of bed; she changed into her clothes and put on the shoes, hurrying to go out to them.

Outside the weather was chill, even if it was very sunny. She went out on porch, putting the jacket on and trying to see where Derek and Sandy were. Their silhouettes appeared in her eyesight, at the lake's border.

They were sitting down on a blanket each of them holding a fishing line in its hands; actually, Derek was helping Sandy to hold hers too because it was like three times bigger than she was. They turned their heads back when they heard footsteps approaching them.

"Mommy, look!" Sandy shouted excited showing her the fishing line she was holding so careful.

Meredith knelt between them and bent to Sandy to kiss her "Are you fishing sweetie?"

"Yes mommy and I caught a fish too!" she turned around a little to the bucket from her side "See?"

It was indeed a medium size tout in it, the only one that they had caught it so far.

"Congratulations Sandy! Your daddy didn't catch any fish?" She asked smiling and looking at Derek. When Derek pretended to be pouted, she bent to him and kissed him "Morning!"

"Morning!" Derek responded her kiss and put an arm around her to bring her closer to him.

"He didn't mommy, but I am going to share mine with you!" Sandy turned her face from water to them with a serious expression of her face.

"Thank you baby!"

"Why to share yours? We still have time to catch a few more fishes." Derek told them.

"No daddy because I am bored!" Sandy looked at him and let the fishing line down from her hands.

"Since when are you here?" Meredith stood up back on her knees and looked at them.

"6 o'clock" Derek told her as he threw one more time the fishing line in water.

"Both of you?"

Derek and Sandy nodded at Meredith's question.

"But you don't like to wake up so early!" Meredith looked surprised at Sandy.

"She does when she knows that she doesn't have to go to daycare and she is going to spend her day with mommy and daddy!" Derek gave her a peak on cheek and grabbed the fishing line from Sandy, who had just dropped it.

"Ok, but today she has to go to daycare, or what you are not going to come back to work?"

"I am, but not today!" he leaned on her and repeated the kiss from earlier "And you are not going either!"

"What do you mean? Why?" Meredith asked him suspicious.

"Because I asked the chief for a day off for both of us! He owes me!"

"So… you stepped back after he gave you the chief of surgery and he owes you?!" Meredith smiled suspicious at him.

"What can I say… I am irresistible… even for Richard Webber!" he chuckled and returned his attention to water.

"Let's play now, daddy!"

Sandy's call brought their attention on her again, and just then they saw that she had left the spot they were sitting on and she was running around, not very far from them.

"She loves to say that word!" Meredith was watching amused Sandy's running in circle and the joy that she was doing it with.

"And I love to hear her saying it!" Derek had started to pick up the fishing lines, so he wasn't having the attention on Sandy. He turned to Meredith and gave her a quick kiss "I guess that she will have to share the trout with us!"

He put the fishing lines aside and stood up, heading straight to Sandy, who started to run into one way when she saw Derek coming to her for the thrill of the chase. Derek didn't have to run too much or too fast to catch her, so she soon landed on Derek's arms, who picked her up and started to walk her in air. Usually, as much she was enjoying to be picked and held with the head down or to be twisted in air, she was always screaming to be put back down. This time, just her laugh was resounding in the morning's silence.

When he felt his arms numb and heavy, Derek put Sandy back on ground.

"I want more!" Sandy hung on his jacket so that Derek can pick her up again.

"It was enough for the moment! Let me breathe a little, ok?"

"Why?"

Derek laughed amused at her question "Because I am too old for this!"

In the next second, Meredith burst into laugh and made both, Sandy and Derek to look at her. Sandy didn't understand why her mother was laughing, but Derek did and he faked a pouted face.

"You are not old, daddy!" Sandy mentioned with a very serious tone, as if she wanted to say 'what stupid things are you are gabbling'.

Derek found her tone so cute that he couldn't resist not picking her up again and kissing her. He released his jacket from her tiny fists and picked her up "Thank you for your compliment sweetie!" he thanked her properly with a kiss.

Sandy giggled and started to play with his hair.

Derek returned to his fishing spot and started to pick up with his free hand the fishing lines, while Meredith folded the blanket and took the bucket and the bait box.

Sandy had played in all this time with Derek's hair; but at one point, she stopped and let her hand to slip out from it.

Derek felt that something was wrong with Sandy, so he stopped and looked at her to see her disappointed face.

"What happened, Sandy?" he asked her a little worried.

"You are old!" her voice also sounded disappointed.

"I am old?" Derek asked amused but a little offended too, because earlier he said it just as a joke. "I am not old!"

"You have white hair and mommy told me that only old people have white hair"

"I do not have white hair!" Derek sounded now more offended.

Sandy sustained her statement with a nod.

"I am not old!" Derek looked shocked at Meredith, who was right behind them laughing.

Meredith abstained herself not to laugh, when Derek looked at her; she bitted her lip amused and lifted up on her toes to have a better look at his hair.

Then she came back on heels and patted his back smiling "It's just one little… tiny hair wire" and hurried her footsteps so that she can be in front of them and to laugh.

Derek knew that she was laughing in that moment, so he hurried too and slapped her butt with the fishing lines.

"Ouch Derek!" Meredith looked back at him laughing while she was rubbing hard the spot that Derek had hit.

"Old man, huh!" he hurried his footsteps even more and arrived next to Meredith. But he soon stopped and put Sandy down "Now down with you missy because I am too old to carry you!"

Sandy didn't protested and just took his hand and followed him. When she saw that they were heading towards to trailer, Sandy pulled back her hand from Derek and stopped.

"I don't want to go inside!" she said with a crying tone.

"It's cold outside Sandy, plus we have to eat!" Meredith, who was right next to Derek and not very far from Sandy, gave her the hand.

Sandy hided her hand to back and pouted.

"Come on Sandy, you've stayed long enough outside! You'll get cold!" Derek also sustained Meredith and gave her his hand hoping that she will accept it.

Sandy remained still and shook her head. Only after a couple of more pleadings, she decided to follow them inside.

Meredith undressed Sandy from her jacket and helped her to clean herself, while Derek took out of from fridge, the milk and the cereals, Sandy's favorites.

During the breakfast, Sandy sat between Derek and Meredith, mixing the milk and the cereals with the spoon, before bringing it to mouth; from time to time she was looking up at each of them, clearly listening their conversation about the new house.

"It will be big, big?" she asked them.

"It won't be a castle, but it will be big and you will have a big room and a lot of space to play!" Derek told her and stood up from table, taking his bowl to sink. "I can show you how it might look!" Derek turned his head back to the table where Sandy had left the spoon down and looked at him thrilled. "But after you finish the breakfast!"

When she heard that, Sandy grabbed the spoon again and started to quicken her moves, giving up on mixing.

Meredith waited for her to finish, before getting up from table, while Derek was outside to pick up his fishing utensils.

"Ready mommy!" Sandy put the spoon down into the empty bowl and handed it to her mother.

"Very good sweetheart!" Meredith gave her kiss before taking the bowl from her.

Sandy immediately jumped up on her feet and ran straight to door. Grabbing the door handle with both hands, she was struggling to open it, by pushing it and pulling it.

Meredith watched amused her determination to open the door [I _"At least here I am sure that she cannot sneak out."_ [/I

"Mommy!" Sandy looked at her with a pleading face and a crying voice. The entire weight of her body was hanging on the door handle.

"Stay inside Sandy! Come and help me with the dishes and later we will go out again!"

"No, I want to go out now and I will help you later!"

Meredith shook her head smiling "Do you want to go outside dressed like this? Take your jacket and the hat!"

In the next second, Sandy left the door and went over to bed, where Meredith had put her clothes. She dressed the jacket very fast and place the hat disorderly over the head while she started to run already to door, before her mother to change her mind.

"Stop!"

Sandy was already back to door, when Meredith called her and made her stop. She hesitantly turned around to look at her. When she did that, she saw Meredith coming to her and bending down to arrange her hat and to zip the jacket. Then, she opened the door for her and Sandy ran out fast giggling and calling for Derek "Daddy"

Derek was near porch when Sandy came out calling for him, with Meredith watching her from the doorway.

At first Derek looked up at Meredith questioning, but when Meredith nodded him that it's okay, Derek went over to take Sandy and Meredith closed the door.

Derek picked her up from porch and as he did that, he felt her legs wrapping around him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him looking over his shoulder.

"I am cleaning the fishing line and I am putting the bait in order in box!" Derek put her down from his arms "Do you want to help me?"

Sandy was not very thrilled by his proposal, so she shrugged and followed him to the small chair that he was sitting on. He gave her the chair, and he took a seat down on ground.

Sandy's help consisted in a very close look to what Derek was doing and asking from time to time 'what is that?' She couldn't resist staying too much there like that, since the entire energy she needed to be released. So, she stood up and moved not very far from Derek, taking a seat on ground too and started to play bored with the leafs; she had started to gather a lot around her, and then to cover the legs with them. It was not the kind of play she would have wanted, but it was fun.

Because no sound was coming from outside, Meredith decided to go out and check them. She put the jacket on and went out on porch. At the first sight, she didn't see them, but she could hear sounds coming from the other side of the trailer. She climbed down those few stairs and surrounded the trailer to find them.

"Derek!" Meredith snapped at him and started to hurry to Sandy, who was still covered by leafs.

"What?" Derek asked her confused and looking as she was heading to Sandy. He guessed the reason of her anger "Leave her Meredith! She is having fun!"

"Look mommy, my legs disappeared!" Sandy pointed smiling to her feet that were very well hided under leafs.

"Fun, Derek? The ground is still wet from rain and she will get all dirty and wet!" Meredith knelt next to her and grabbed her arms.

"She has other clothes, Meredith!"

"No mommy, I want to play here!" Sandy had started to move her arms away from Meredith's hands "Please!"

Meredith knew that she was to overprotective and that Sandy's play was not dangerous, so she caved.

"Where did they disappear?" she asked Sandy smiling and raising an eyebrow suspicious.

Sandy calmed down seeing her mother ready to play with her and started to laugh shrugging and raising her hands by shoulder "I don't know!"

"You don't know huh?" Meredith stood up and immediately she picked Sandy up and letting the leafs to fall from her legs. "Here they are!"

Sandy was laughing happy balancing the legs "You found them mommy!"

"Of course I did! I am good detective!" Meredith put her down to stay on her feet kissing her forehead and arranging the hat over it.

Sandy moved from the spot that she had previously used and found another one near, where the leafs were untouched. She placed herself in her sit and laid back. "Hide me mommy!"

Meredith found amusing her daughter's new play so she decided to continue. She went over to her and took a seat next to her pulling her back up in her sit "Let me arrange you hat better first"

"Mommy!" Sandy felt disturbed by Meredith's concerned.

"Ready!" Meredith let her go, so that she can lay down on back.

Sandy laid down standing still and with the arms glued to body, letting out frequent giggles.

Meredith started to collect the leafs with both arms, throwing them then over Sandy's body. With each mass of leafs that Meredith was throwing over her, Sandy was laughing more.

Soon, her entire body was under a carpet of leafs, just her head had remained uncovered. Her face and her light brown hair was perfectly matching with the leafs' colors.

Meredith knelt right next to her head and bent over it too kiss the forehead.

"This looks like a nice and comfortable place to sleep!" Meredith whispered when she was bent over her.

Sandy closed the eyes right away and pretended she is sleeping.

"Sleep well Sandy! I am going to find myself a place to sleep too, if you left me alone here!"

Sandy heard her mother and also heard the sound of the leafs when Meredith stood up, so she could not stand anymore and jumped up in her sit "I am awake mommy!"

Meredith laughed and returned to her to pick her up. This time she didn't care about Sandy's dirty clothes and placed her on her hip, so that she can carry her.

"Did you have a good sleep?"

"I did!"

Meredith started to walk towards to trailer, but when Sandy saw that, she started to fuss and asked her mother to put her down.

When she was back on ground, Sandy grabbed her mother's hand and started to drag her back to the spot that they were playing earlier.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Let's hide!" Sandy was heavily speaking because of the effort she was doing to drag her mother after her.

Meredith let herself leaded by Sandy, and Sandy took her on the other side of the trailer, where they were out of Derek's sight.

"Here mommy! Lay here!" Sandy instructed her mother.

"Okay!" Meredith set down where Sandy had shown her.

"Lay back mommy!" she started to push her shoulder so that she can put her down.

Meredith didn't oppose and laid down on back "Do you want to hide me?"

"Uh huh" Sandy started quickly to pick up leafs and to throw them over Meredith.

Because she was having small arms and Meredith was having a longer body than hers, this process took her a while, but in the end, she managed to cover her entirely, letting only her neck and head uncovered.

Satisfied with the result, Sandy knelt near her, just as her mother did when she was under leafs "I'll go bring daddy to find you and you will jump up and scare him, okay?" Sandy explained her into a very serious manner.

"Okay baby, but hurry up because it is cold already!"

Sandy stood up fast and started to run to find Derek.

Derek had just finished with his work and he was ready to go and find them, when he saw Sandy coming in a run.

"Daddy!"

"Sandy, where is mommy?"

Sandy stopped at his legs and took his hand, starting to drag him after her too "Let's go find mommy!"

Derek knew they were playing, so he didn't get worried and entered in their game.

As they arrived at the place where Derek was supposed to look after Meredith, he saw the mass of leafs and Meredith's head too, but he continued to play his role.

"Go and find her!" Sandy pushed him from back, as she stayed there to watch them amused.

"Okay… I wonder where she can be!" Derek was looking around him, avoiding the spot where he knew very well that Meredith was, starting to walk in the same time through her direction.

When she saw that Derek was about to find Meredith and to end the game too soon, Sandy shouted "Not there! She is not there!"

Derek gave her a look back over shoulder smiling and changed a little the direction "She is not?"

"No!" and she was continuing to point to a different spot from the one that Meredith was.

Derek pretended to follow, Sandy's instructions but he didn't deviate too much from Meredith.

"Where is she Sandy?" he looked back at her as he was still walking.

"Not there!" Sandy desperately shouted when she saw that he was getting closer and closer to Meredith.

Derek pretended to trip and fell over Meredith. Even if Derek fell purposely, the impact was still too big for Meredith, whose breathe was cut for a second, when she felt him over her.

"Derek!" Meredith gasped and tried to push him away.

This was exactly what Derek wanted, so he did give up at her struggles and placed himself better over her, starting to kiss her.

"Derek, you did it purposely, didn't you?" Meredith pretended to be mad, but still wrapping the arms around his neck.

"Mommy!" Sandy came to them very pouted and with a crying tone.

Derek and Meredith interrupted their kiss and looked up at her. She was standing up near them, very pouted and with the arms crossed to chest. "You didn't scare him!" she reproached her.

"Oh, you should have been scared too?" Derek asked her amused.

"Yes, but mommy didn't do it!" she forgave Derek for interrupting the game too soon and spilled her disappointment on her mother.

Derek let out a gasp, pretending to be scared, but Sandy was not so easy to be fooled, turned her heels around, and started to walk towards to trailer.

"Thank you mommy!" Derek gave her one more kiss smiling and then he stood up from her helping her to stand up too.

Once she was back on her feet, Meredith slapped him and rubbed her waist because of the pain that Derek had caused her "I would have scared you, but you scared me first so it's your fault!"

Derek just chuckled and took her hand to walk together after Sandy.

They found her sitting down on porch sustaining her chin in hands and looking down on ground sad.

Derek let Meredith's hand go and went over to Sandy. He picked her up and placed her over his shoulder with the head down, making in this way her sadness to be transformed into a very happy giggle.

Getting inside the trailer, Meredith took Sandy's shoes off and took her under shower. Then she helped her to get dressed with some clothes that Mark had bought them for her and let her under Derek's care, so that she can shower too.

When she came out from shower, Meredith found them in bed watching something on laptop.

"Mommy, come to see the house!" Sandy motioned her to join them.

Meredith dried her hair better and just then she joined them. She took a seat next to Derek, who was holding the laptop on his feet, wrapped her arms around his and snuggled into him, making herself comfortable.

"These are the plans?" she asked Derek, seeing a 3D model.

"Yes, but we already made our choice!" Derek gave her a suggestive smirk.

"You did or just Sandy?"

"I did mommy, I like this one the most!" Sandy answered her quickly and very excited. "And we'll paint it in pink and we'll have many flowers around it, like my dollhouse." Sandy was now making her own plans about their future home.

"Do you want to paint the exterior in pink?" Meredith asked her. She wasn't thrilled with the idea and Derek seemed either.

"Yes, the exterior and the interior and my room!"

"But your dollhouse is white and it looks better like this than in pink!" Meredith was trying to convince her to give up on this idea.

Sandy took a second thought and shrugged as a sign of indifference.

Derek showed Meredith the other plans too, but since they were all nice and for her it wasn't that important the design they agreed to approve Sandy's choice.

"I've already chosen my room mommy!"

"I bet you took the biggest room, didn't you?"

Sandy giggled and kept looking in monitor "It has rooms for Izzie, Addie and Christina! I will ask them to choose theirs too! Izzie will stay next to mine."

Derek and Meredith looked at each other a little worried.

"Sandy, sweetie, they won't come to live with us!"

When she heard that, Sandy looked up at her mother worried "Why?"

"Because they have their home and because we will live here together as a family. They will have their own families soon too!"

Just seeing her disappointed face, they understood that this break up and change might be very difficult for Sandy.

"We are not their family?" she asked her mother, hoping that she will find a way to bring them to live with them.

"No sweetie, we are not! They are our friends, our best friends!"

"Okay!" she said it with a heavy sigh and put her head down on Derek's shoulder.

At that point she was no longer very thrilled by the idea of moving, since the person she grew up with her won't live there too.

"They can come and stay over night from time to time and they can visit us each time they want!" Meredith was now trying to make her up with this idea.

Sandy just shrugged and continued to look into monitor, but without the delight from earlier. She was not living with them now either, but because of those two levels that were keeping them apart, they were together all the time on evenings, when everyone was home. Izzie was baking goodies for her and each time she was craving for some, she was sneaking out and running up to her. Addison was coming to play with her very often and Christina… well, Christina was not very involved in Sandy's activities, but since she was one of her mother's best friends, she was part of the picture too.

Because that didn't work, it was now Derek's turn to try to cheer her up.

"If they will come to live with us, then your brothers and sisters where are going to live? Will you accept to share your room with them?"

Derek's question received two different answers from Meredith, who looked at him worried and Sandy, whose face had started to light up a little again.

"I don't want a brother! I want a sister and she will share the room with me!" her face lighted at the little hope that she was still having that she will bring Addie, Izzie and Christina to live to them, but also because she was thrilled by the idea of having a sister. "When I will have a sister?"

Derek smiled first at Meredith, who was still looking at him more worried than surprised, and then he kissed Sandy's temple and smiled "Not right away, but in the near future! But you might have more sisters or brothers so you won't be able to share your room with all"

"How many?"

"That's right Derek, how many?" Meredith spoke for the first time since the subject about sisters and brothers for Sandy came in discussion.

Derek repeated the kiss he gave to Sandy on Meredith too "I am not sure… maybe 4 or 5! Maybe more, we'll see!"

"Who are you planning to have these kids with?" Meredith snapped at him in that moment.

"With you of course!" Derek answered her calm and keeping his big smile on face; he knew that Meredith was freaked out in that moment, but he loved to see her like that.

"We need to have a serious talk about this, Derek!"

Derek chuckled and kissed her again "We will! Now, Sandy, you see, we cannot bring everyone to live with us! But as mommy said too, they can come in visit whenever they want."

Sandy was now just half disappointed. The idea of having more siblings to play with seemed like a good one.

After Sandy's plan over the decoration of her room, they started to prepare the lunch together.

Sandy was helping them the best way she could, carrying a bowl from one place to another, spicing the food with Derek's help, or she was supervising them.

She was standing near her mother watching how she was chopping the onion. Very soon, she started to rub her read eyes and to feel tears coming out from them.

"Mommy, I am crying and I don't know why!" she told her worried and still rubbing intense the eyes.

Meredith looked down at her amused "Stay away from onion then. Go and splash some water on face!"

Sandy stood up from her chair and headed to shower to wash her face.

While she was still in there, Derek and Meredith heard the rain starting to drip over the trailer and along the windows.

"It might not stop too soon!" Meredith told Derek a little worried.

"Unfortunately it won't!" Derek sighed too watching how the rain was growing in intensity.

Sandy came out from shower with the face wet, as well as a part of her head. As she returned to them, she heard the rain too and instantly the disappointment installed on her face.

The lunch was quiet, because of Sandy's sadness, and after it, she helped her parents to clean around, but still depressed because of the rain.

Meredith came with the proposal to return to apartment and Sandy gladly agreed. Derek convinced Sandy to leave her new book at trailer for other nights that they will spend there.

During the ride back home, because of the boredom Sandy fell asleep in her seat. Derek pulled the car into the building's garage first and then they got out of car.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Derek asked Meredith, while she was opening the door from the backseats to pick up the sleepy girl.

"No, I'll take her!" she unfastened her safety belt and picked her up slowly. Sandy startled a little, when she felt herself removed from that position. "It's okay baby!" Meredith took her in arms and let her head to fell on her shoulder.

Feeling her mother's embrace, Sandy calmed down fast and closed again the eyes. She slept on her mother's shoulder all the way up to their apartment.

Derek unlocked the door and Meredith went to put Sandy in her bed. She slowly set her down and started to take off the shoes and the jacket. Sandy opened her eyes sleepy again to see what is going on and stood up in.

"It's ok Sandy, we're home now! Go back to sleep!"

"In my bed?" She asked rubbing the eyes.

"In your bed!" Meredith lifted up the covers and picked her up to place her under them. "Sleep well sweetie!" she kissed her forehead and tucked her in.

Slowly, the door was closed and Meredith headed to her room. In there, Derek was laying on bed with the arms over eyes. He heard her coming in, so he stood up and went over to her, wrapping his arms around her and starting to kiss her. Meredith responded him in the same manner and, with the arms wrapped around his neck she deepened the kiss.

"Is she sleeping?" he asked her when he pulled his lips away.

"She is already dreaming!" Meredith smiled suggestively guessing his intentions.

Derek let her go and headed to door to close it and to lock it, without taking his eyes from Meredith now even for a second. When their privacy was assured, he pulled out over the head his sweater and started to unbutton his shirt, while his steps were going back to Meredith, who was now waiting for him sitting on the bed's edge.

She helped him with the pants, while he was still unbuttoning the shirt. Derek removed the shirt and the pants, and took her head in both hands starting to kiss her. He slowly let her fell on back and positioned himself on top of her, continuing to taste her lips and letting his hand to slip under her blouse.

His body was sustained on arm, so the free one left the skin for a while and started to unbutton the pants, revealing with each opened button more from her panties. When the last button was opened, his slipped inside the pants and with frequent moves around her waist, they were slowly removed from there and from her legs. Once that the pants were down, his next job was to get rid of the rest of her clothes, starting with the blouse. He lifted it up a little so that he can reveal her belly, and started to make circles around it until his tongue finally got in it gently sucking the skin.

In all this time, her hands were ruffling his hair, keeping in the same time his head close to her. She let it go, only when he raised the head up to hers so that he can kiss her lips again. She received all this with frequent moans and with gentle moves along his bare back.

"Mommy!"

They tried to ignore this call, hoping that it was just in their imagination.

"_Mommy, where are you?"_

At this question, they felt forced to pull apart one from another. Derek fell on back rubbing his face frustrated, while Meredith stood up fast and started to put back on the pants.

"This is a nightmare!" Derek said with a groan.

Meredith looked back at him being disappointed too "I am sorry Derek!"

"It's fine! I have started to get used with the cold water!" Derek told her smiling as if he understood the situation.

"Maybe she had a bad dream and I will be right back!" Meredith smiled back at him and hurried out from bedroom, to see what the problem was with Sandy.

She found Sandy in living room looking around after her trying in the same time to clear her sleepy eyes with both hands.

"What happened sweetie?" Meredith took her in arms and set down on couch with her on lap.

"I woke up!"

"Why? Did you have a bad dream?"

Sandy shook her head and put the head on her mother's chest "I can't sleep!"

Meredith saw that she was still very sleepy and that probably she disturbed her sleep when she undressed her earlier. "Do you want me to read you a story?"

Sandy gave her a lazy nod and then Meredith picked her up and took her back in bedroom. She put her down in bed and went to search for a book.

"The sleeping beauty?" Meredith asked looking back at her.

Sandy just nodded, so Meredith came to her with that book.

"Let's get under covers again to stay comfortable, okay?" Meredith motioned her to come and get inside next to her.

Because she was sleepy, Sandy lay down and put the head back on pillow keeping in the same time the eyes over the book that Meredith was holding opened in front of her.

Derek remained in bed after Meredith's leaving for a few more minutes; he knew that this is going to be his life from now on, so he had to get used with it since moments like this are going to repeat. He got off the bed and pulled the pants back on, and then he went out to see what Meredith and Sandy were doing. It was silence in living room, but he heard Meredith's voice in Sandy's room. He just listened through door and thought that Meredith is trying to put her back to sleep, so he didn't go in, not wanting to make Sandy forget about sleep.

While Meredith was reading to Sandy the story, Derek decided to make himself busy with the TV waiting for Meredith to finish.

He didn't realized when the silence fell over Sandy's room, and noticing that Meredith hadn't come out from there yet, he stood up and went to check them.

Slowly, he opened the door and sneaked the head inside; he then saw them sleeping. Meredith succeeded to make Sandy to fall asleep again, but she also succeeded to join her.

Derek was not disappointed to see this; contrariwise, he smiled seeing them sleeping together. He dragged the covers upper over them and gave a kiss to each. Neither Meredith nor Sandy gave a sign of waking up when he did that, showing how tired they were.

He let them sleep and closed the door behind him. Because he still needed a cold shower, Derek headed straight to bathroom.

-

Meredith woke up near her daughter, who was still asleep and slowly got off from bed, arranging the covers around Sandy.

She checked the watch and saw that she had slept more than two hours. Without any noise, she headed to door and opened it slowly.

Derek was in living room laying on couch and reading a book when he heard the door opening.

"Hey!" he stood up when Meredith closed the door and came to him.

"Hi" she took a seat next to him and rested lazy the head on his shoulder.

Derek put the arm around her and pulled her back, so that they can lie down together.

"I am sorry I fell asleep!"

"It's okay; you both needed a good sleep after all that play from outside"

Meredith snuggled in his arms and not being completely awake, she closed the eyes.

Derek held one arm over her, while with the other he took back the book and returned to his reading.

Soon, when Meredith fell back asleep, Derek heard the door opening again. Because he was holding Meredith over him, he could not stand up to see what was going on, but he could hear some footsteps approaching them quiet.

Sandy stopped in front of them sleepy and yawning.

"Hey sleepyhead!" Derek greeted her whispering, not to wake Meredith up again.

"What are you doing?" She asked them with a loud voice that made Meredith to open her eyes.

"Look what you have done, you woke up mommy!"

Meredith stood up in her sit at Derek's legs and rubbed her face.

"I am sorry mommy!" Sandy went to her and climbed up the couch to sit next to her.

Meredith picked her up and placed her on her lap "It's okay baby! Did you have a good sleep?"

"I did! It's still raining outside, mommy!" she said with disappointment in voice.

"Now we are home, so we can play inside!"

Sandy shrugged with indifference.

"Do you want to go back to trailer?" Meredith asked when she saw her like that.

"No"

"Okay then, let's wash our faces with cold water and then will find something to do!" Meredith put her down and taking her hand, she leaded her to bathroom.

In there, Sandy climbed her small chair and bent over the sink to turn on the water; just feeling the cold water on her hands, Sandy felt refreshed already starting to giggle.

"We are not playing with the water Sandy, so wash your face!"

Sandy rubbed the face with the wet hands, because she was not able to keep the water in them to splash it over face.

Meredith smiled amused seeing the way she was washing and took water in her hands and helped her to finish. Then, she gave her the face towel, so that she can wipe the face. Sandy handed her back the towel and went out running from there.

"What is with this hurry?" Derek asked her when he saw her running.

At Derek's question, Sandy changed her rout and came running to him. Derek picked her up in his arms and kissed her.

"Let's play!" she told him taking his face in hands.

"What do you want to play?"

"Puzzle!"

"Okay, puzzle it is!" Derek put her down and followed her in her room.

Meredith joined them soon, and as usual, Sandy took an unsolved puzzle and spread the pieces on floor. Lately, she agreed to make the puzzle together with them, but she was still the one who was on command and she was solving it alone into an end.

When the puzzle was done, Sandy stood up "Let's cook now!" and went out of from bedroom.

"Sandy, where are you going? The kitchen set is here!" Meredith called after her.

"_I want to cook in kitchen!"_ Sandy yelled from outside.

"Wow, soon she will cook better than you!" Derek smiled teasing Meredith and leaned on her to kiss her.

Meredith smiled and kissed him back "Funny!" and she stood up to go after her daughter. First she stopped in the doorway and looked back at Derek "Her mother loved to cook! It was cook-obsessed like Izzie!"

"Sandy!" Meredith ran immediately to her, when she saw Sandy taking out a knife from a drawer. She whipped it out fast and put it on counter "How many time did I tell you that you are not allowed to touch these?"

"But this is real!" Sandy looked up at her guilty and hided a hand to back.

"Exactly, because this is real you can hurt yourself with it!"

"What is going on?" Derek came in too when he heard Meredith's yell.

"She wants to play with the knife!"

Sandy was now looking guilty at both of them.

"You know you are not allowed to play with this!" Derek also told her, mostly like a reproach.

"I'm sorry!"

"I have to move these from here or to find a way to lock the drawer!" Meredith sighed and tried to think of a solution, because now that Sandy was big enough to reach to them and because of her passion for cooking, letting knifes and forks near her, could be dangerous.

Derek put his arm around her waist and pulled her for a quick kiss "Don't worry, I will take care of this!" he smiled wide at her "This is why you have a man in house now!" and repeated the kiss.

Meredith could not help herself not to smile, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and forgot for a moment that Sandy was in the same room with them.

"Eww mommy! Let's cook!"

"I think she is jealous!" Derek whispered to her. "First the sex, now the kiss!"

Meredith giggled and pushed him away.

"Okay sweetie, and what do you want to cook!"

Sandy took a few moments of thinking "Chocolate chips!"

"But you already have chocolate chips!"

"I want to bake them!"

"You don't have any chance to escape mommy!" Derek laughed and bent down to take out some bowls from cabinet.

"I'll take them!" Sandy jumped fast when she saw what he was doing and pushed him away so that she can take them.

When they heard a pager ringing, all of them let out a disappointed sigh. Sandy didn't know exactly what was that, but she knew that each time it was ringing her mommy or Derek had to go back to hospital.

"I'll go check!" Meredith told him and went out of kitchen.

"You took out too many bowls Sandy! We won't need all these!" Derek told her when she saw all the five bowls she had taken out from cabinet and took three of them to put them back.

"Can I put the ingredients?"

"Yes you can, but wait to take everything that we need out! This way we won't forget anything!"

"Okay!" Sandy was following him everywhere around the kitchen hoping that soon she will find something to do too.

"It's yours!" Meredith came back to them holding Derek's pager.

Derek sighed and took it from her, then he went to call to hospital to check.

"Is daddy leaving?" Sandy asked worried when she heard that.

"I don't know! Maybe!"

Sandy's enthusiasm for cooking had started to decrease, so to cheer her up a little, Meredith tried to remain happy "We can make the cookies together and we will serve him when he will come back! What do you say?"

"But you don't know how to cook!" she said disappointed.

Meredith admitted that she felt offended when she heard that, but she bent down to her and picked her up in her arms "I don't know how to cook, but you do!" she told her smiling and giving her a wink "You can teach me, if you want!"

Hearing that compliment Sandy got back her smile and her good mood; she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and started to kiss her cheek "I can teach you mommy!"

"I know, because I have a smart girl!" Meredith kissed her cheek back.

"I have to go for a surgery!" Derek returned in kitchen already dressed to leave.

"I am going to teach mommy to cook!" Sandy bragged quickly when she saw him coming.

Derek came to them and kissed them both "It was about time!" he teased Meredith a little and gave her one more kiss "Save me some cookies!"

"We will!" Sandy assured him and carried by her mother, they leaded Derek to door.

After another series of kisses, Derek left and Meredith and Sandy returned to their work, not before to brush Sandy's hair and to gather it into a ponytail.

They went together in kitchen and just then Meredith realized that she doesn't know the recipe for chocolate chips, so she started to search through drawers.

"What are you looking for, mommy?"

"For the recipe, I am sure that Izzie noted the ingredients somewhere around here!"

"I know the ingredients; Izzie puts umm… flour, sugar… a lot of sugar and chocolate" Sandy tried to remember what else did she see at Izzie "Oh, and eggs!"

"That's great baby, but I also need the quantities!" Meredith listened to Sandy, but also continued to search through some cooking books.

Sandy felt incapable to help her with that too, so she joined her mother's search.

"Let's call Izzie!" she told Meredith, when she had started to feel bored.

"There is no need!" Meredith took out from a book a piece of paper "I found it!" she smirked at Sandy "Ready?"

Sandy nodded excited.

Meredith took out the butter and the sugar and poured them into a bowl to mix them.

"No mommy!" Sandy yelled when she saw what she was doing.

"What?"

"First you take out all the ingredients, this is what daddy said!"

Meredith rolled her eyes amused by the 4 years old girl's bossy tone. She did as Sandy told her and then they were ready to start to mix them.

Meredith prepared the mixer's bowl and with Sandy's help they put the ingredients one by one.

"Okay now 5 more spoons with sugar" Meredith handed her a spoon and held the sugar pot.

Sandy filled each spoon carefully and emptied it into the bowl, counting each time.

"Now we put some flour and then we start the mixer!"

"Can I press the button, mommy?"

"Yes, but press it easy to use a lower speed!" Meredith first poured some flour and then showed Sandy what button to press.

Because it was a little too hard for her to press it, Sandy used her force, so the button ran up to two with three speeds, causing the flour that had just been added to spread all around them, on their faces and hair and around the counter.

Meredith grabbed a towel to clean Sandy's face, who was laughing very amused by that incident.

"We look like two ghosts now!"

When her face and eyes were clear again, Sandy looked up at Meredith "You are old too mommy!"

"And so are you, baby; all your hair is white!"

Sandy giggled and wanted to shake the head, but Meredith stopped her before she could do it "Not here Sandy! You will spread the hair in cookies and I don't think that Derek will like to eat them then! Leave it like this and we will take a bath after we finish!"

"Ok!"

Meredith prepared a tray and then she prepared the dough too, to divide it. From time to time, she was letting Sandy to do it, and of course, she was making bigger pieces. When the tray was full, Meredith handed Sandy the chocolate flakes to put over the cookies, and this time too, Sandy was very generous with the portions covering entirely the cookies.

"Not so many Sandy!" Meredith was trying to convince her to take it easier with the chocolate.

"They are better like this!"

Meredith rolled her eyes smiling and let her do how she wants "Of course they are!"

When Sandy thought that it was enough with the chocolate, let her mother to pick up the tray.

"Oh no!" Meredith let out a sigh and put the tray back on table.

"What?" Sandy looked at her worried.

"I forgot to preheat the oven!" she slapped herself the forehead.

"Mommy!" Sandy snapped at her angry.

"Hey, calm down, it's not so bad!" she turned to oven and turned it on. "In about ten minutes will be ready"

Sandy shook her head disappointed and took a seat on the chair that she was standing up, stealing from time to time some chocolate flakes from the bag that was near her.

Meredith saw her and grabbed the bag from her face "Enough with these missy!"

"Please mommy!"

Meredith moved the bag on counter and turned to her "It's almost 6 o'clock, so we should have dinner before cookies!"

In that moment, the doorbell rang and Sandy jumped out from her seat.

"Hey, hey! Where do you think you are going?" Meredith grabbed her arm and stopped her. "You are not allowed to answer the door alone! Come with me if you want!" she took her hand and Sandy followed her out to door.

"Addie!" Sandy jumped on her when she saw her standing at door.

Addison hesitated a little when she saw her so dirty, but into a final she picked her up. "What are you two doing? Are you fighting?" when she saw them with flour all over them.

"Izzie, Christina!" just when she was in Addison's arms, Sandy saw the other two ladies.

"That's right, what are you doing?" Izzie asked them suspicious.

"We are making chocolate chips!" Sandy bragged proud.

"Oh, so you are devastating the kitchen!" Izzie laughed and followed the others in kitchen.

"We had a little incident!"

"Why are you cooking? Where is Derek? Did he dump you already?" Christina asked her amused when she saw that Derek was missing from picture.

"Haha! Funny! He was paged!" Meredith faked a smile and picked up the tray to put it in oven.

"Okay now shows us the rock!" Christina grabbed her left hand to see the ring.

Immediately Addison, who was still carrying Sandy, and Izzie joined them to see the jewelry.

"Wow!" just Izzie was able to say something.

"He is not watching at money when it comes to jewelries." Christina was also very impressed.

"Derek is my daddy now and he and mommy will get married!" Sandy replayed fast.

"Okay, okay! Enough with this!" Meredith pulled back the hand.

"Don't worry hun, we won't steal it!" Addison smiled and put Sandy down "Can I take her to wash a little?"

"Please! In the meantime I'll prepare the dinner!"

"Or I will prepare it!" Izzie smiled and moved her away from stove. "You are going too busy to tell us what happened and where have you been!"

"I will, but let's wait for Addison to come back!"

"Hurry up Addison!" Christina yelled.

"_In a second!"_

After she had brushed and cleaned a little Sandy's hair, Addison returned together with her in kitchen.

She took a seat on table next to the others and put Sandy back in her lap.

"Okay, now you can tell us what happened yesterday!" Christina demanded her.

"Daddy bought a big land near a lake and a big car with furniture!" Sandy didn't let Meredith to start.

"A big car?!" Addison looked at Meredith confused at Meredith.

"She is calling him daddy already? Yesterday he was still Derek!" Christina found this more important than the big car.

"That is called a trailer and indeed he bought a big land and yes, starting last night she calls him daddy at his request"

"Wait a minute, he bought a trailer?" Christina laughed ironic "He wants you to live in a trailer? Judging by the carets of your ring, I thought he can afford to buy at least a small house!"

Meredith gave a glare and smiled "The trailer was sold with the land and he will build a house soon!"

"I am going to have a big room!" Sandy's eyes grew of excitement when she said that and looked at everyone.

"That is wonderful Sandy! Now you will have enough space to run around!" Addison kissed her cheek and hugged her tighter.

Unfortunately, Sandy remembered about the moving away from them and her eyes started to tear.

Everyone, except Izzie, who was having her back turned to them, saw the sudden change and that she was about to start crying.

"What it's wrong baby?" Meredith asked her worried and reached her hands over table to take hers. But immediately she understood "Oh"

"What?" Addison asked her seeing that she knew the reason.

"She suffers because we told her that none of you can come and live with us!"

"Aww sweetie! You won't move far from us and we'll come in visit each time we can!" Addison pulled her back into her arms and tried to comfort her.

But as she did that, Sandy started to sob into her chest.

"Now come on don't cry!" Addison took her face with both hands and kissed her red nose, wiping in the same time her cheeks.

"I promise that I will still come and bring you cookies!" Izzie also came to them and knelt down taking one of Sandy's hand.

None of these promises weren't comforting her; contrariwise, her tears were flowing more and more down her cheeks.

"Is she crying for real?" even Christina was impressed by her tears.

Meredith sighed and nodded "Unfortunately!" she stood up and went over to Sandy to take her from Addison "Come to mommy baby!"

Sandy immediately wrapped her arms around Meredith's neck and buried the face in it sobbing. Meredith rubbed gently her back and put her down near the oven "Let's check the cookies, okay?"

Sandy wiped her cheeks and nodded.

They opened the door and saw that the cookies were just half backed.

"What are you cooking Izzie?" Sandy was trying to calm herself down and asked Izzie sighing.

"Soup and French fries!"

"Okay" she responded sad and took the seat that Meredith had stayed earlier.

They changed the subject and Meredith asked Sandy to tell them how she caught that fish. This improved her mood slowly and soon the sadness had disappeared.

During the dinner, she was asking Meredith every each minute if the cookies are ready, and each time Meredith was telling her to have patience.

When the oven's clock rang announcing that the backing was done, Sandy jumped from her chair and ran to Meredith to see how the cookies look.

Meredith took out the tray from oven and carefully she put it down on counter. They were all looking more black than brown because of the huge amount of chocolate flakes that Sandy had put over them. Sandy asked to taste one, but her mother sent her back to table explaining her that she has to finish the dinner first and that the cookies need to cool-off.

"Ready mommy! Can I have a cookie now?" Sandy showed her the empty plate.

"Wait for us to finish too!"

"Mommy!" Sandy protested pouted.

"Please Sandy!" Meredith gave her a serious look and Sandy sighed resignedly.

They heard the phone ringing in the next second and Sandy looked up at her mother "Can I answer?"

Meredith nodded and Sandy ran immediately in living room, where the phone was.

"Good evening!" Sandy answered politely, just as her mommy had taught her.

"_Good evening! Is that you Sandy?"_ a female voice answered from the other line.

"Yes! Who are you?"

"_My name is Helen! I am Derek's mom!"_

"You are my daddy's mommy!"

Helen laughed a little _"That is right, so I am your grandma!" _

Sandy was very delighted to hear her, but in the same time she got shy and didn't know what to say.

"_Is your daddy there?"_

"No! He went to help a sick person!"

"_I see! And you are alone with your mommy?" _

"With mommy, Addie, Izzie and Christina!"

"_Your mommy's friends, right?"_

"Yes!" Sandy answered surprised.

"I am glad that I finally have the chance to talk to you!"

At this, Sandy again didn't know what to say, but she did tell the think that she had bragged at her mom's friends earlier "You know what daddy did?"

"_What did he do, dear?" _

"He bought a big car with furniture and we slept there last night!"

"_He did?"_ Helen asked rather amused than surprised, as if she knew already about this.

"Uh huh! I don't like it, because it is small and I don't have toys there! But there is a lake there and today we went fishing with my daddy and I caught a fish! Just me!" she bragged proud.

"_Congratulations sweetie! Your daddy didn't catch any?"_ Helen laughed amused

"No, he didn't, but I shared my fish with him and mommy!"

" _How generous of you sweetie!"_

Sandy giggled happy. "Are you coming to visit us?"

"_I am afraid that I can't right now, but I am expecting you to come to New York! You will meet your cousins!"_

"I'll ask mommy and daddy!"

"_You do that! Now can I talk to your mommy?"_

"Yes! Mommy!" Sandy yelled holding the phone to ear.

"_I am coming!"_ Meredith answered from kitchen.

"She is coming!"

"_Thank you sweetie! I can't wait to meet you!"_

"Who's one phone?" Meredith came to her.

"It's grandma!" Sandy handed her the phone smiling.

"Who?" Meredith looked at her confused.

"Daddy's mommy!"

Meredith was shocked to hear that and immediately she started to think on what she could tell for the first time to her future mother-in-law.

"Goodbye grandma!"

"_Goodbye Sandy! It was nice to talk to you!"_

"Take it mommy!" Sandy handed her the phone again.

This time, Meredith took it and Sandy ran back in kitchen to her cookies.

"Good evening Mrs. Shepherd!"

"_Good evening Meredith, but please… your daughter calls me grandma already, so we should let aside the formalities. You can call me Helen or you can call me mom, however you want! Congratulations for engagement and especially for your wonderful daughter"_

Meredith felt herself overwhelmed by Helen's friendly greeting. "Thank you… Helen!" she didn't fell able to call her mom. "I am sure that Sandy bragged with this!"

"_She sure did, but hey, you can't blame her! I knew already Derek's plan, but I didn't knew the results. I tried to call him on cell-phone, but he is not answering!" _

"He must be still in surgery!"

"_Sandy mentioned something about a sick person who needs his help!"_ Helen laughed amused remembering the answer that Sandy had given her.

"She is very communicative!"

"I've noticed and this makes her a great kid!"

"Thank you!"

"_As I told Sandy too, I am expecting all three of you to come in visit! I am very impatient to meet the girls who succeeded to do what I am trying for a very long time now to do! To make him change his mind from being the chief of surgery! I don't think that I would have had the chance to talk to him very often if he would have accepted the position!"_

"Well, I am not sure when we'll be able to come! We both have a full schedule and … I don't know!"

"_Discuss this with Derek, but I really hope that I will see you soon!"_

"We'll see what we can do!"

"_Okay dear, I am letting you now! I know that you have guests! Good night Meredith!"_

"Good night Helen!"

Meredith hung up the phone and remained still looking at it shocked for a few moments. It was a surprise to talk for the first time with Derek's mother and to feel her so nice.

She quickly stepped back to reality and returned to kitchen.

In there she found everyone sitting around the table on which a plate with cookies had been settled in middle and everyone was eating from them. Sandy was, of course, on Addison's lap eating.

"They're good mommy!"

"Yes, they are surprisingly tasty!" Izzie nodded impressed.

Meredith joined them and they stood there until the last tray was out of oven and longer after, talking and playing with Sandy.

--------------------

"Sandy, stay nice in bed and try to sleep!"

"I want to wait for daddy to see if he likes my cookies!"

"Sweetie, I am sure he will love them, but now it's is passed 11 o'clock so please try to sleep!"

After her friends leaving, Meredith gave Sandy a bath, read her two stories and now she was struggling to make her sleep.

"Sandy, in about 6 hours we will have to wake up, so you will see him then!"

Sandy stood up from bed and wanted to jump, but Meredith caught her right away and pulled her back in her arms. She started to tickle her tummy and kiss her cheeks, while Sandy was laughing hard and she was trying to escape from her.

Meredith stopped, but kept a firm arm over her body to keep her in bed next to her. "Wait him in bed if you want!"

"Are you having a party that I didn't know about?"

Meredith and Sandy looked to door and saw Derek leaned on the door's frame and looking at them smiling.

"Daddy!" Sandy succeeded to escape from her mother's grip and jumped up in feet running to the edge, where Derek had come too.

Derek took her arms and Sandy was right away twined around him.

"Why aren't you sleeping missy!" Derek tried to sound serious.

"I want you to taste our cookies! They're very good!"

"Do I have any chance to skip over this phase?" Derek looked at Meredith smiling.

"No you don't, but they are very good! Thank you for your trust anyway!" Meredith looked at him a little offended.

"I am sorry! I am sure they are better than Izzie's" He smiled and gave her his had to come with them.

They headed to kitchen and Meredith took out some cookies from a jar and put them on a plate. At first sight, seeing them so black, Derek hardly abstained not to laugh.

Meredith guessed his thought and slapped his back playful "They're not burned! It is because of the chocolate!"

Derek chuckled and kissed her taking in the same time a cookie.

"Hmm… these are indeed good! You should spend more time in kitchen with your daughter!" Derek smiled at them.

Meredith just laughed and shook her head.

"So you like them daddy?"

"Are delicious!" Derek kissed her cheek and Sandy started to cuddle in his arms.

When she yawned, they knew that she was finally ready to go to sleep; so they took her back in her room and Derek put her down in bed tucking her in.

"Good night baby!" he rubbed gently his cheek and kissed it.

"Good night daddy! Good night mommy!"

They made an exchange of 'good night' kisses and Sandy closed her eyes exhausted. Then, Derek and Meredith went out from her room, turning off the light and closing the door behind them.

Derek put his arms around Meredith and started to breathe into her hair and neck "I am going in shower! Join me!"

Meredith giggled and pushed him away "I had one when the girls were here! I will meet you in bedroom!" she looked back at him with a teasing smile, as she was heading to kitchen, where there were still things to be cleaned.

A little bit later, when she saw that Derek was late to come out from bathroom, Meredith went to see what he was doing.

She found him out of shower, with a towel wrapped around the waist and checking careful in window his hair.

Meredith giggled when she saw what he was doing and went over to him and hugged his back "You are not old Derek!"

Derek took out the hands from hair and leaned them on sink continuing to watch himself in mirror.

Only when Meredith started to kiss different spots from his back, Derek turned around and picked her up, placing her on sink. He opened up her legs to get between them and started to kiss her face from place to place. "You bet I am not old and I am going to prove you!" he started then to kiss her passional.

"First I want to make clear one thing!"

"Ok!" Derek agreed but still kissing her.

Meredith pushed him away a little so that he stop from kissing "Kids! I want to talk about out kids!"

Derek laughed and returned to her mouth "We can make one right now!"

"Oh no, no!" Meredith pushed him away "I hope that you were just joking when you said 5 or more children!"

Derek laughed when he saw her serious face "I don't want to force you, but maybe we'll have twins or triplets!"

"It's not comforting, but I hope that this won't happened; and now speaking of families… your mom called!"

"Oh, so you finally met her! I mean you finally talked to her!"

"Yes I did! Sandy talked more with her!"

"She already loves Sandy!"

"Derek, she knows everything about us?"

"Of course she does and she cannot wait to meet you!"

"I know! She already invited us in New York!"

"And we should honor it as soon as possible!"

"I don't know Derek!" Meredith pushed him even further from her and sighed worried.

Derek took her face in his hands and kissed softly her lips "She already loves you too, you will see! Now…" he put her legs back around him and lifted her up "It's time to celebrate properly our engagement!"

They fell asleep with three hours before the clock to give them the waking up call.

29


	12. What is she doing here?

**How can a knock out change your life**

**C.11- "What is she doing here?"**

"Mommy!" Sandy came running towards to her mother, when she saw her coming into her classroom.

Meredith knelt at her level to wait for her to come, "Hello baby!"

Sandy stopped in her arms hugging her "Mommy!"

"I came to take you with me! We need to go and make the vaccine!"

When she heard that, Sandy pulled back a little and looked at her scared.

"I told you it won't hurt at all! Mommy is going to do it to you!"

"Okay!" Sandy answered, still not very encouraged.

Meredith removed the few strands that had invaded her forehead and kissed it "Let's go!" She stood up and took her hand. "I'll bring her back later!" Meredith saw Maggie, their supervisor who was coming to them.

"Sure Dr. Grey! Be a good girl, Sandy!"

"Okay!" Sandy looked up at her and nodded.

Then, she followed her mother outside and together they took the elevator up to Pediatrics. They met Sandy's pediatrician, Dr. Williams at the nurses station.

She saw them coming towards to her, so she put back the chart she was reading and came to greet them.

"Dr. Grey, Miss Grey!" Dr. Williams came to them smiling and took Sandy's hand to shake it friendly.

Sandy managed to show her a small and shy smile.

"Hello Katherine!"

"Hi Meredith! Ready?" she asked looking in particular at Sandy and laughed when she saw her shaking the head.

Meredith saw that too and smiled "We are never going to be ready, but we have to!"

"Let's go into my office!" she leaded them not very far from the nurses station.

That was not Sandy's first visit to Katherine's office, but because she needed to have an injection, this time she was more nervous.

"You can take a seat on bed!" Katherine pointed them the bed she was having in there, and went to look for Sandy's medicine.

Meredith picked her up and put on bed, lifting up then the sleeve from the left hand.

"In arm mommy?" Sandy asked her in whisper, like she was afraid that the doctor will hear her.

"Yes sweetie, but you won't even feel it!"

In the meantime, Katherine prepared the injection syringe and filled it with vaccine.

When Sandy saw her attaching the needle grabbed her mother's arm and squeezed it scared.

"It's alright!"

Katherine put the injection syringe down on her office and took a small book in exchange, which she brought it to Sandy. She took a seat on bed next to her and opened that book.

"Mommy told me you like animals!"

Sandy looked up at her curios and nodded.

"This is a book with a few animals; do you want to show me which ones you know?"

"Okay!" Sandy seemed to have forgotten the reason she was there for.

Meredith joined them too, after she had taken the syringe with her, and gently took Sandy's arm. "Show her sweetie!"

Sandy turned her look over the book and started to point to each animal and bird from those pictures.

"This one is horse and this one is a cow!" She said very sure on herself and looked at Katherine.

"That is correct, go on!"

While Sandy was enumerating the animals, Meredith cleaned the spot where she was going to get the needle in. Just then, Sandy was distracted from that book and looked to see what her mother was doing.

"Don't worry sweetie, I am just cleaning your arm a little! Does it hurt?"

"No!"

"Okay then! Show Dr. Williams what other animals do you know!"

Sandy returned the attention over the book, and she was about to say something, when she felt a small pinch in her arm and immediately she looked at her mother scared.

"I've told you it won't hurt!" Meredith smiled at her as she was pushing the last liquid from it. With a quick move, she took the needle out and rubbed that spot with a tampon. "Done!"

"Done?!" Sandy asked surprised.

"Yes, that was it! See, how easy it was?"

Sandy recovered her smile and the good mood when she heard that.

"And you also convinced me what a smart girl you are!" Katherine smiled at her and closed the book. She then stood up and took the syringe from Meredith to dispose it.

"Now it comes something even easier!" Meredith told her as she was pulling back down her sleeve. She then lifted her up and put her down "We have to measure you and to weigh you!"

After these regular checks and after the assurance that everything is fine with her, Sandy and Meredith said goodbye to Katherine, and Meredith took her down to her floor the drop Sandy's file in her office.

Sandy was not coming very often at the place where her mother was working, but most of the nurses and doctors knew her, especially since she was very communicative with everybody. Therefore, on their way to Meredith's office, many people were passing by them saluting Sandy or they were stopping for a few moments to exchange a word with her and to shake the hand.

Meredith finally arrived at her office and as she unlocked it and opened the door, Sandy ran inside, closely followed by her mother.

Right after them, an intern came in holding some papers in her hand.

"Dr. Grey, these are the last results for Mr. Arkin!"

Meredith took the papers from her and gave a careful look over them "They look good! Supervise him for another 24 hours and if nothing interferes until then, tomorrow he will be discharged!"

The intern took the papers back from Meredith nodding and went out from her office.

"Mommy, can I stay with you today?" Sandy stood all this time down on a chair and when the intern went out and her mother gave her the hand to follow her, she stood up and stopped at Meredith's legs.

"You know you can't! I have a lot of work to do and I can take care of you!"

"You don't have to take care of me! I am a big girl mommy!"

Meredith shook her head and took Sandy's hand leading her outside.

"Please mommy! I want to see how you operate!"

Meredith locked the door and started to walk towards to elevators "You are too little to stay around here!"

"No, I am not, mommy! I am a big girl!"

Meredith looked down at her smiling and shook her head "Not big enough!"

Sandy sighed disappointed and walked together with her mother in silence.

Before getting in elevator, Meredith was paged, so she took the pager to check it!

"Damn it! It's a 911!" she cursed low so that Sandy couldn't hear her.

Meredith knew that she doesn't have time to take Sandy back down to daycare, so she changed their direction and headed to the nurses station.

"Ashley, are you busy?" she asked one of the nurses who were there.

"Not very, Dr. Grey! How can I help you?" Ashley stood up when she heard Meredith talking to her.

"Can you please take my daughter down to daycare for me?"

"Sure! I just have to finish some paper work, but as I am done with them I can take her!"

"That is great! Thank you!" Meredith leaned down to Sandy "Stay here with Ashley until she takes you back down to daycare, okay?"

"Okay!" Sandy answered disappointed because she cannot stay with her there.

"Look, we three hours left and then we can go home!" Meredith gave her a kiss on forehead.

Sandy nodded and Ashley took her under her care, while Meredith hurried to answer the call.

Ashley put Sandy down on a chair next to her on a desk "Do you want to draw something until I finish?" she showed her a paper and a crayon.

"Yes!" Sandy took them from her and started to draw. Very soon, she got bored and because Ashley was not ready yet, she started to look around her at every object from that desk; all these until she spotted a stethoscope.

"Mommy has one like that too!" she pointed with the finger to that stethoscope.

"A stethoscope?"

"Yes! She listen the hearts with it!"

"That right!"

Sandy remained quiet for a few minutes holding the seat with both hands, balancing the legs, with the look fixed over the stethoscope and biting her lower lip.

Ashley guessed her thought and looked at her "Do you want to listen a heart?"

Sandy's eyes grew huge and nodded when Ashley asked her that.

"Do you want to listen my heart?"

"Yes!"

"Okay!" Ashley took the stethoscope and put it in her ears.

Sandy took it and placed it on the place where she remembered that her mother showed her. Only that she put it further from the median axle, so after a few moments of concentration, she took it out from ears and sighed disappointed. "You don't have a heart!"

"Of course I have!" Ashley laughed amused and put it back in her ears, this time she was the one who placed it on the right place.

"I hear it! I hear it!" Sandy shouted excited and kept it there for a few more seconds. When she had enough with the listen, she took it out and handed it back to Ashley.

"Did you like it?"

"I did!" Sandy confirmed with a nod and with the big smile from her face.

"What do you want to become when you will be older?"

"I want to become a doctor, like mommy, but I want to work with babies like Addie and Izzie, not with brains like her!"

"This sounds like a great job!" Ashley bent to her ear "I love the babies too!"

"Do you work with babies?"

"I work with babies, but I also work with grown-ups!"

"Oh… okay!"

Dr. Webber was just passing by there, when he saw a little head behind the counter. He came closer, and then he recognized Sandy.

"Sandy, what are you doing here? What is she doing here?" he then asked Ashley.

"Chief… umm Dr. Webber!" Ashley jumped up on her feet, when she saw him.

"I may not be the Chief anymore, but I still don't like to see children on this floor, a less they are sick! Is she sick?"

"No, she is not! Dr. Grey was paged and she didn't have time to take her back to daycare, so she asked me to do it, but I was having some work to do!"

"Mommy made me an injection and I didn't cry!" Sandy looked up at him proud.

"That was very brave of you, Sandy!" Dr. Webber complimented her. "I'll take her down, I want you to transfer these files in computer!"

"Right away Dr. Webber!"

"Come Sandy!" Dr. Webber offered her his hand and Sandy stood up from her chair and took it.

"Dr. Webber?" Sandy looked up at him, while she was waiting for him to finish with what he was doing.

"What is it?"

"Mommy told me you are not her boss anymore!"

Dr. Webber raised his look from his papers and looked ahead a little surprised "It's weird to here this!" he smiled a little and talked to himself. He then, looked down at Sandy "That's true!"

"This means that mommy can be late in morning?"

Dr. Webber smiled when he heard that, remembering when Sandy asked him one day to let her mother be late, so that they come to hospital with the ferryboat.

"I am afraid that she can't, Sandy!"

Sandy looked a little confused "Why?"

"Because the new chief, Dr. Burke, is stricter than me"

"Christina says that Dr. Burke is an idiot, is he?"

He looked at her confused and didn't know what answer to give her "Umm… Christina knows better! We have to go now!" he took her hand again and turned around to leave, but immediately another doctor stopped him.

"Dr. Webber, I need your opinion on something!" that doctor showed him some papers.

Dr. Webber sighed and picked Sandy up placing her on counter "Stay here a minute!"

"Okay!"

He started to talk to that doctor and the discussion seemed not to be enough, for the doctor's help. In the meantime, Sandy stood quiet on the place where Dr. Webber had put her and looked around her curious.

"Sandy, I have to go but I will be right back!" Dr. Webber returned his attention to her

"Okay!"

"Keep an eye on her for a minute!" he told Ashley.

"Sure Dr. Webber! Let's put you back on chair!" she stood up and came to pick Sandy up.

"No!" Sandy protested when Ashley grabbed her waist. "I want to stay here, it's higher!"

"Okay, but don't move or you will fall!"

"I won't!" Sandy was holding the counter's edge with both hands and balancing the feet, while her eyes were analyzing the motion from around her.

People were coming at the nursess station to ask for information or for a patient while Sandy was watching them careful.

"Can you please tell us if Dr. Corn is out of surgery?" A lady and a man came there and asked one of the nurses.

"I have to check! Please wait here!" the nurse told them and picked up the phone.

"Thank you!"

Sandy's attention was now on those people, who were standing right next to her.

"What a cute girl! What are you doing here sweetie?" the lady asked her, when she saw her looking at them.

"I am waiting for Dr. Webber to take me back to daycare! My mommy is busy!"

"Is your mommy a doctor?" she asked her.

"Yes. She works with brains!"

The lady smiled amused at her "What is your name sweetie?"

"My name is Sandy!"

"Nice to meet you Sandy! My name is Susan and this is my husband Thatcher!"

Sandy just smiled at them.

"Mrs…." The nurse called Susan.

"Mrs. Grey!"

"Mrs. Grey, Dr. Corn is still in surgery!"

"Thank you!" Susan answered politely and wanted to leave.

"My name is Grey too!" Sandy said when she heard that name and made Susan and Thatcher to stop and turned around to her, looking confused at each other.

"And what is your mommy's name?" Susan asked her a little hesitant.

"Meredith!"

When they heard that, Susan and Thatcher looked at each other shocked.

"Do you know my mommy?"

"Umm… how old are you Sandy?" Susan didn't seem to have heard Sandy's question.

"I am 4, almost 5!"

"Maybe it is just a name coincidence!" Thatcher told Susan.

"It is a too big coincidence!"

"Do you know my mommy?" Sandy repeated her question, when she saw them talking to each other.

Her question interrupted their talk and Susan looked at her smiling "We do! We are your grandparents!"

"Susan!" Thatcher shouted when he heard what Susan had told to Sandy.

"What? There is no name coincidence! She is your granddaughter!"

Sandy watched them confused and she was listening careful everything they were saying.

"My grandma's name is Helen and my granddad's is David!" Sandy told them still very confused, since the only grandparents she knew about were Derek's parents "We are going to visit them in New York!"

"No dear, he is your mommy's father and I am her stepmother!" Susan continued to explain her, contrary to Thatcher's protests.

"My mommy's mommy died!"

Right in that moment, Dr. Webber returned to take Sandy, and recognizing those people he hurried to go and see what they are talking with Sandy.

"Sandy didn't your mother told you not to talk to strangers!" he came quickly, picked her up from counter, and took her in his arms.

"They are my grandparents!" Sandy told him.

"Does Meredith have a daughter?" Thatcher asked still distrustful regarding the news that he had just found out.

"Yes, she has; now excuse us, we have to go!" Dr. Webber started to walk to take Sandy faster from there.

"But she didn't have one 3 years ago!" Thatcher said loud, making Dr. Webber to stop and look back at them.

"Maybe Meredith will explain you this! I can't!" and saying that he hurried even more, leaving them behind into a big daze.

When they were about to step in elevator, Addison came out from it and was surprised to see Sandy there with him.

"Addie!" Sandy shouted happy when she saw her there and extended her arms to go to her.

"Sandy? What are you doing here?" Addison took her in her arms and looked curious at Dr. Webber "What is she doing here?"

"Meredith was paged and asked a nurse to take her back to daycare!"

"I can take her if you want!"

"Please, I would really appreciate! But be aware… Meredith's dad is here on this and they told something to Sandy about being her grandparents!"

"Oh… don't worry I'll take care!" Addison stepped back in elevator and Dr. Webber returned on floor.

In elevator, Sandy was happily playing in Addison's arms with her hair, "I met my other grandparents, Addie!"

Addison tried to smile and to change the subject not knowing what to say to her about that "That's nice Sandy, but what do you say if we'll go and see little babies!"

Sandy gasped happy and nodded "Really!"

"Yes, I have a few minutes free and then I will take you back to daycare!"

"I can't wait to see them!"

Addison pressed another button and soon the door opened on Pediatric. For the rest of the ride, Sandy bragged with how brave she was during her injection and Addison fed her pride with compliments upon this.

Addison took her to nursery, where the babies were, and holding her in her arms, they looked through window at them.

"Can I hold one?" Sandy asked her after a series of questions regarding the provenience of babies, what do they eat, why don't they eat cereals and many other naïve questions.

"No, you can't, because these are other's people babies and they might get mad if they will see us!"

"Why don't you have a baby?"

This question took Addison a little by surprise "Well… because I am not married yet!"

"Mommy is not married, but she has me!"

Addison looked at her sympathetic and gave her a kiss, "Sandy, your other mommy was married when you were born!"

Just for a second Sandy's look got darken and then she lighted it up again with a smile "If mommy marries daddy, this means she will have a baby soon?"

Addison saw her refuse to think on her other parents, but she was glad in a way to see her smiling and because she was not feeling comfortable to talk about that subject either.

"I don't know if soon, but they will!"

"Are you going to marry with Mark?"

"What?" Addison laughed hearing her question.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"Don't you think that you are a little too indiscreet?"

"I like Mark! He buys me many things and he says that if I tell you nice things about him he will make a surprise!"

Addison was speechless. Mark was indeed using Sandy to get a date with her.

"He said this?"

"Yes" Sandy nodded firmly to sustain her information.

"Okay missy, it's time to take you back!" Addison put her down and took her hand.

"Can I stay with you here Addie? Please!"

Addison shook her head and started to walk back "I am sorry!"

"Dr. Montgomery!" one of the nurses called her from the opposite direction, so Addison stopped and turned around to see what that nurse wants.

"Dr. Montgomery, we have an emergency in 3426!"

"Oh no!" Addison sighed and ran a hand through hair looking down at Sandy and wondering what to do with her. She then looked into the nursery and saw an intern who was supervising the babies. "Dr. Klein."

"Yes Dr. Montgomery!"

"Can you keep this little girl with you for a few minutes?"

"Sure!"

Addison knelt down at Sandy and looked into her eyes "I have to go and help someone, but you stay here nice and quiet, while I come back, okay?"

"Okay Addie!" Sandy nodded very excited seeing that she will stay there with the babies.

The intern took Sandy inside and Addison ran to see the patient.

Alicia, the intern, and Sandy started to have a talk about babies. Sandy was telling her everything that Addison had just told her.

Addison's emergency lasted more than a few a minutes and it didn't seem to be over very soon. This is why, when Dr. Webber passed by there, he was surprised to see Sandy there in nursery with Alicia.

"Sandy, why are you still here?" He opened the door and asked low from the doorway.

"Dr. Montgomery was called for an emergency!"

"When was that?" he asked the intern.

Alicia looked at her watch thinking "About half an hour ago!"

He shook his hand and came in to them "Let's go Sandy!" he took her hand and started to walk to door "Tell Dr. Montgomery I have her!"

"Sure!"

They went out from there and walked toward to elevator "This time nothing will stop us!" he said more for himself, very determined to take her down to daycare.

In elevator, after just one floor, the door opened and Derek stepped in very surprised to see Sandy in there holding Dr. Webber's hand.

"Daddy!" Sandy let his hand go immediately when she saw her daddy stepping in.

"Sandy?" Derek bent down and picked her up. "What is she doing here?"

"Meredith was here with her for her vaccine or something and then she was paged and since then, which means …" he checked his watch a little "… two hours ago, we are trying to take her back to daycare!"

"Oh, I see! Don't worry, I will take her!"

"Are you sure you are going to get there anytime soon? Because I don't want to meet her the third time on the surgical floor!"

"Nothing will stop us!" Derek smiled and kissed Sandy's cheek "Were you a good girl or you made troubles to Dr. Webber?"

"I was good!" Sandy nodded and looked in the same time at Dr. Webber waiting for him to confirm.

"She was! As much as I like her, these floors are not recommended for her!"

"You can consider her already out from here!" Derek smiled and kissed one more time Sandy's cheek.

"Good! Was nice seeing you, Sandy!" Dr. Webber stepped out from the elevator at the next floor to return at his work.

Exactly when the door was about to close, he stuck his hand inside to stop it "One more thing Shepherd… Meredith's father is around and he and his wife talked to Sandy!"

Derek knew about Meredith's relationship with her father, so he nodded and then Dr. Webber let the door to close.

"A lady told me she is my mommy's mommy and a man that he is her daddy! Are they my grandparents too?"

Derek felt a little in trouble not knowing what to tell her about this. Meredith was not thinking anymore at the relationship with her father, so she never bothered to explain Sandy about his existence.

"We'll ask mommy who were those persons, okay?"

"Okay! Can I stay with you? I don't want to go back to daycare!" Sandy took her puppy face that always melted Derek and to be sure of her success, she wrapped the arms around his neck and kissed him.

In other circumstances, he would have said 'yes' immediately, but now he was still during the shift so this was impossible.

"I am sorry!" Derek shook his head.

"Please!" she crossed her hands as a supplication.

Derek smiled and took her hands in his "You've heard Dr. Webber, he doesn't like to see little girls upstairs!"

"But he is not the boss anymore!"

Derek laughed and shook his head while the door opened at this floor "The new boss is worse, so we should not get him mad on us!"

--------------------------------

Meredith's 911 kept her in the OR for over two hours. After she scrubbed out, she decided to go down to daycare to see how Sandy was feeling after injection and to tell her that they will leave home sooner today.

She arrived at daycare, in Sandy's classroom and Maggie greeted her.

At first, she was a little surprised to see that Sandy didn't yell in the moment that she stepped in, but she then ignored it thinking that she might be very busy with a game or something.

"Dr. Grey! Aren't you going to bring Sandy back today?" Maggie asked her when she saw that Sandy was not with her.

Then Meredith started to panic and to look around the class at the other kids, noticing that her daughter was not there. "Didn't a nurse bring her?"

Maggie started to panic too seeing that Meredith didn't know anything about Sandy "No! I was expecting you to bring her!"

In that moment, Meredith stormed out the classroom and ran directly to elevator.

-------------------------------------------

Her first stop was of course at the nurses' station to look for Ashley. She didn't find her there, but she found her into an exam room with a patient.

"Ashley, where is Sandy?"

Ashley turned around to door to face her and looked at her confused "Umm… Dr. Webber took her. He said he will take her to daycare!"

Meredith didn't ask or wait for another question and hurried to find Dr. Webber. Because he was nowhere to be found, she desperately paged him. While she was waiting for him to answer, a nurse who had heard that Meredith was looking for Sandy, came to her.

"Dr. Grey! I saw your daughter earlier upstairs on Pediatrics with Dr. Montgomery.

Meredith didn't wait for Webber anymore and hurried to find Addison. She asked a nurse from there where Addison can be found, and the nurse directed her to nursery.

"Addison!" Meredith arrived at her breathless because of the run.

"Meredith!"

"Where's Sandy?"

"Isn't she at daycare?" Addison asked her confused, but also a little worried.

Meredith got even more desperate hearing Addison's question, "She was supposed to be there, but apparently she didn't get there!"

"She was with me earlier, but I was called to an emergency and I left her with one of the interns! When I came back, she told me that Webber took her!"

Meredith sighed and turned around to leave "I'll go find him!"

She ran into him when she stepped in elevator and same as she did with the previous persons she had met, she didn't salute and asked directly where Sandy is.

"Derek took her down!"

"Are you sure? When was that, because for her last 20 minutes everybody is sending me from a person to another telling me the same thing!"

"5 minutes ago!"

"Great!" she hurried inside nervous.

"Meredith wait!" Richard called her, but the door closed before she could hear him.

Meredith took out the phone to dial Derek's number.

"_Hi Mer!"_ Derek answered her after just one call.

"Derek, where is Sandy?"

"_She is right here with me! I am taking her to daycare! I heard she had a little trip on the surgical floor!"_ Opposed to Meredith, Derek was sounding in a better mood.

"Are you sure that you are going to make it until down there?"

"_I am more than sure because we are right in front of it!"_

Just then Meredith could sigh with relief "Thank God! I'll be able to go earlier today!"

"_So do I!"_

"At 5?"

"_I'll meet you in lobby?"_

"Yes, and I will take Sandy from daycare!"

"_I'll see you then mommy and don't be worried for us!"_

-----------------------------------

One thing Derek and the others forgot to tell Meredith.

-----------------------------------

"Do you know what else Addie told me?"

"What else sweetie?"

Meredith and Sandy were now in elevator, on their way to lobby to meet Derek.

"She told me that the babies eat milk and only milk; without cereals!"

"That is true! And did she tell you why?"

"Because they don't have teeth! They are toothless!"

"That's right!"

"There were two babies there! Addie said they are twins and they look the same!"

"Were they boys or girls?"

"Girls! Mommy, when am I going to have a sister?"

Meredith laughed and holding her hand, they stepped out from elevator "One day!"

"When is that day?"

"Sandy let's hurry because Derek is waiting for us!"

Luckily, for Meredith, Sandy saw Derek right away and as usual, she let her hand go and ran from her to Derek.

"Daddy!" Sandy stopped in his arms.

Derek picked her up and gave her a kiss "Next time when you will run like this from your mommy, I won't even look at you!"

Sandy understood she did wrong, so she took a guilty face and apologized "I am sorry!"

"You are forgiven! But for the last time!" Derek told her very serious and put her down to greet Meredith.

"She made me ran today, like I have never run before!" Meredith hurried to get to them, and when she did, she stopped just like Sandy in Derek's arms.

"She has preserved the energy if she spent so much time upstairs!" Derek laughed and pulled her for a quick kiss… not to disturb Sandy too much.

"She preserves her energy on the surgical floor, while we are depleted it immediately."

"Ready to go?" Derek asked them and both nodded.

"Meredith?"

When they were about to leave, a man called Meredith's name, so she turned around to see him.

She was shocked to see Susan and Thatcher right behind them.

Sandy remembered then what Susan told her, so she came to Meredith and pulled her by her jacket to get her attention "Mommy, are they my grandparents too?"

"Derek, please take her and I will meet you at car!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Meredith bent to Sandy and kissed her forehead "Go with daddy, okay!"

"Okay mommy!"

Derek took her hand and tried to hurry the steps, so that she cannot look behind to them.

"She is beautiful Meredith!" Susan told her politely.

Meredith ignored Susan's compliment and snapped at them "How did you dare to tell her that she is your granddaughter? You have no right to do it!"

"Meredith, three years ago you didn't have a daughter! How… why didn't you tell us about her then?" Thatcher dared to ask her.

"Maybe if you wouldn't have disappeared again, now you would have known!"

"We are sorry Meredith! Our daughter Molly had some health issues for a long time and kept us away from Seattle in all this time!" Susan tried to excuse themselves.

"Were you somewhere in the middle of nowhere, where there was no civilization, no phone?" Meredith asked laughing ironic.

Susan and Thatcher looked at each other guilty and not knowing what to tell her.

"She is my daughter! Her name is Sandy, she is 4, she is the most precious thing from my life and she is not and she will never be your granddaughter. She doesn't need a grandfather for a month and then to ask me where did he go! Forget about my and her existence."

These were her last words for them and turned around to go to Sandy and Derek, who were waiting for her in car.

Derek saw her coming, so he got out of the car. He could see that she was about to cry and decided not ask her anything and just opened the door for her.

Sandy was already on her seat in back, watching her mommy a little worried.

Meredith tied the belt and looked back in the same time at Sandy. She saw her worry, so she gave her a smile to assure her that everything was fine. "Those weren't your grandparents! It was just confusion!"

"Okay mommy!"

The ride back home was rather quiet; Derek and Sandy were having a talk about what she had seen in her short trip through hospital, trying in this way to distract Meredith's thoughts from her father. They didn't succeed to do get from her just a few glances and some sickly smiles from time to time, in the rest of the ride staying quiet with the head resting on window and with the eyes fixed outside.

In the last minute of the ride she was completely detached from what was happening around, therefore, she didn't even realized that Derek had parked the car in garage and that Sandy was already out from it.

"Meredith" Derek opened her door and nudged her slowly.

At Derek's nudge, she stepped back to reality "Oh! Sorry!" She got out of the car and tried to pull herself together.

They took Sandy's hand and headed to elevator. In there, Sandy didn't ask this time if she can press the button; she saw her mother upset and didn't want to upset her more.

"Do you want to press the button?" Derek asked her, seeing her hesitation.

Sandy didn't answer and looked up to her mother.

"Go on sweetie" Meredith encouraged her to do it. "Do you know what floor, right?"

"10"

"That's right!" Meredith answered her proud and picked her up a little so that she can reach to button.

Stepping inside the apartment, Sandy didn't run as usual and stayed with Derek and Meredith, undressing herself from there.

"Can you take care of her please? I need to lie down a little!" Meredith asked Derek, after what Sandy had gone in her room.

"Sure!" Derek nodded and gave her a kiss, before she would go in her room.

Sandy came out from her room later with a paper sheet and some crayons settling with time in living room. After a few minutes of silence, while nobody seemed to come to her or at least to talk to each other, she left her place from table and went to see what was going on. She had heard some noises coming from kitchen, so her first stop was there.

Derek was in there, ready to start to prepare the dinner.

Sandy came in and gave a close look around it, "Where is mommy?"

"She is resting in her room!"

Sandy turned around to leave, but Derek guessed her destination, so he hurried to stop her.

"Let her rest!" Derek grabbed her shoulder and made her to turn around. "Don't you want to help me with the dinner?"

"I do!"

Derek kept her busy in kitchen and distracted her attention from Meredith.

He went to announce her that the dinner is ready, but Meredith told him that she might eat something later. Derek knew he has to give her time, so he didn't insist and went to have the dinner with Sandy.

Sandy hardly ate something too, seeing that her mother was missing from dinner, which she had never done before.

After dinner, Derek asked Sandy to go and play nice in her room, while he goes and check on Meredith.

Meredith was turned with the back to door, when he came in, so he laid down behind her bringing his body glued to her and keeping an arm over hers.

Only when he did that, Meredith started to sob. He let her to get everything out and just when he felt her calmer, he talked to her for the first time.

"Meredith!"

Meredith turned around to face him, with tears still flooding from her eyes. "Did I do the right thing? I've told him to forget about us and never try to meet her."

"I am sure you know what is better for her, Mer!" Derek had started to wipe her cheek with his palm.

"But if your father would have done this, what would you do?"

Derek remained quiet for a few moments before to speak out "I would do in the same way as you! It is better for her to have only two permanent grandparents than four and to see two of them once in a few years."

"The kids always get very attached to their grandparents!" Meredith sounded now more convinced that she did the right thing.

"She will love them and they will love her when they'll meet!" Derek told her referring at his parents.

"I hope they are not that type of grandparents who spoil their grandchildren!"

Derek chuckled and kissed softly her lips "I am sorry!"

Meredith giggled and shook her head "Why are they doing this?"

"To make problems to the kids' parents!"

Meredith laughed and snuggled in his arms, embracing him and feeling better.

This moment of them didn't last long, because when they heard noises coming from kitchen, Meredith pushed him away "Go and watch her!"

Derek stood up from bed and hurried to see what Sandy was doing in there, knowing that it might not be something good.

He found her moving a chair closer to buffet and about to climb on it.

"Sandy!" Derek took her right away from there and took the chair away from there "I thought we talked about this!"

"I want to give some cookies to mommy!" she told him innocent. "She will feel better!"

Derek could not stay mad on her when he heard that, so he helped her and took the jar with cookies from buffet. He put some on a plate, handed it to Sandy and then he leaded her out. He opened the door from Meredith's bedroom for her to step in first.

Meredith was again with the back turned to door and thinking that it is Derek again, she didn't turn around.

"Mommy!" Sandy stepped in and approached slowly to her bed.

Hearing Sandy's voice, Meredith stood up in her sit and looked over where Sandy was standing holding the plate with cookies with both hands and she was looking with a worried face at her.

"I brought you cookies mommy!" Sandy handed her the plate and waited impatiently for her to receive it.

Meredith took the plate from her smiling and put it on bed near her, to help Sandy then to get in bed.

"Are you sick mommy?"

If since her last talk with Derek and until now Meredith managed to keep the tears inside, now when she saw her daughter's concern and her sweetness, she could no longer hold them.

"No sweetie, mommy is just a little sad!" Meredith smiled sincerely even if the tears were now followed by sobs too.

Sandy crawled to her and lay on her mother's lap, caressing gently one of her knees with her tiny hand. "Why are you sad?" her sad and crying voice asked her more in a whisper.

Meredith wiped the tears with one hand, while with the other she was brushing Sandy's hair, trying in the same time to stop the sobs and let the words out, "Because …I miss my mommy and daddy!"

Sandy raised her head and looked up at her "Where is your daddy?"

"My daddy left me when I was little!" Meredith managed to tell her with a small smile on her face and playing with Sandy's hair.

"Why?"

"Because he never loved me!"

Sandy started to tear too and when she heard that, she jumped at her mother's chest embracing her "I love you mommy and I will never leave you!"

"I … know!" Meredith was now sobbing harder holding Sandy tight in her arms.

In all this time, Derek stood quiet and watched them from the doorway, but now he decided to join them. So he came in bed and took a seat by Meredith's side and put his arms around her staying together like this for few moments. He let her go a little, when he felt Sandy raising her head.

She looked up at Meredith, still very affected by her mother's sufferance and ran her hand over her cheek "Don't be sad mommy!"

Meredith took her hand in hers and kissed it. With the other hand she wiped the cheeks "I am not anymore! Now these cookies are looking delicious! Did you say these are for me?"

Sandy nodded very convincing.

"Then let's devour them!" Meredith told her smiling and grabbing a cookie from plate.

Sandy giggled happy and together with Derek, they took a cookie too.

--------------------

**Thank you so much for your reviews! I appreciate! **

**I really hope you liked this one! It's one of my favorites so far!**

18


	13. NY, Day1 “Did you buy tickets for Santa?

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 12**

**NY, Day1 "Did you buy tickets for Santa?"**

"_Derek, Sandy, I hope you two are packing now!"_

Derek and Sandy were in Derek's room looking together over a book. Both of them looked at each other and giggled when they heard Meredith yelling at them from the other room.

"Now tell me what did you like the most from this book!"

Sandy was holding her chin with both hands and giving one more look through the book's pages, she stopped at one and put the finger on picture "The statue!"

"The Statue of Liberty!"

"We will see it?"

"Of course we will! We will visit the entire town!"

Sandy giggled and returned her look over the book "Where is New York?"

"Here… let me show you!" Derek pulled the book closer to him and started to browse through its pages "This is the map …. Here it is Seattle, where we live and here… it is New York!" Derek showed her careful the location of the two states.

Sandy put a finger on Seattle and another one to New York measuring the distance "Is it far?" She asked Derek showing him the distance between her fingers.

Derek grabbed her hand and closed the fingers "It is about 5 hours with the airplane"

"Mommy told me we are going to fly up on sky, like the birds!"

Derek chuckled and kissed her hand "That's true, but we are going to be in a plane!"

"The plane is big?"

"Very big!"

"How big?"

"So big that I cannot even show you!"

"Missy, do you think that your baggage will pack by itself?" Meredith appeared in the doorframe holding both hand on hips and looking at them angry.

"Look mommy! Here is New York!" Sandy didn't seem to be scared by her mother's tone and remained on her position, while Derek stood up when he saw Meredith.

Meredith came to her and gave a look over the page pretending she is interested "Okay, now that we found out where New York is, we can start packing, right?"

"Right!" Sandy stood up on her feet and threw herself on her mother's neck to make her way down easier.

Because this took her by surprise, Meredith just smiled shaking the head and put her down from bed.

Once that she saw herself on ground, Sandy ran out from there "I can't wait to see the statue!" she was giggling happy as she was heading to her room.

"She is very excited about this trip!" Meredith watched her daughter's excitement from these last days, but now she was even more thrilled knowing that in the next day she will meet her grandparents.

Meredith took a few clothes of hers and put them on bed to fold them.

"And you are not?" Derek was still laid in bed looking over the book about New York.

"I am rather nervous than excited!"

Derek felt her nervosity, so he grabbed one of her arms and pulled her down to him. He moved from his position to get closer to her "You should follow your daughter's example and worry less about this!"

"I was surrounded just by a few people all my life! The Christmas meant only Sandy, Christina, Izzie and Addison for me; just the 5 of us, now… it's going to be different! I am not used with big families, Derek!"

Derek watched her smiling all this time and brushing her hair slowly. When Meredith finished her confession, he gave her a kiss.

"I am a freak, Derek! I know!"

Derek let out a chuckle and pulled her closer to have her in his arms "This is why I love you!"

"Then you are more freak than me!"

Derek started to tickle her neck with his breath "I know!" and continued with kisses on the spot that he had previously tickled.

"They will love you, Meredith and you will love them too, I can assure you!" he stopped from kissing and looked into her eyes. "It might feel weird in the first day, but you will see how in the next day you will start feel like in family!"

Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself a little so that she can reach to his lips "I hope so!"

"_Mommy, the Barbie dolls and the white dog don't fit in my bag!" _

They laughed at each other and pulled apart.

"I should go and help her! I bet she has no cloth in that suitcase!" Meredith stood up from bed and headed to door. "You should hurry too with the packing and be careful what you put in yours!" she looked back at him smiling.

"Just the gifts from Santa!"

"And clothes, Derek!"

"Why? I thought you like to see me naked!" he gave her a suggestive smirk.

Meredith smiled and shook her head as she was going out from there.

In Sandy's room, she found Sandy trying to box up her favorite toy dog.

"Sandy!" Meredith smiled rolling her eyes, when she saw what she was doing.

Sandy didn't look up at her and continued to struggle with her toys, "Help me mommy, please!" she begged her with a crying voice.

Meredith came to her and took the dog from her hand to put it aside "Let me pack for you!"

Hearing that, Sandy smiled happy and left to look for other toys to take with her. She returned with the arms full with games and toys, but then she saw that her mother had already emptied the suitcase. She didn't look scared, thinking that she will rearrange them.

"Now Sandy, while I am packing your suitcase, I want you to choose just four toys or games to take with you and put the rest of these back to their place!"

Just then, Sandy understood that she won't be able to take all those toys with her "Mommy!" she looked up at her sad and begged her "Please mommy, I don't have toys there!"

"Sandy, we've already talked about this! You will have plenty toys there too and you can play with those!"

"But these are mine!"

"And so will be those, not let's hurry because it's getting late and you have to go sleep!"

"Mommy?" Sandy tried one more time, this time with a whisper and sounding very disappointed.

Meredith ignored her and went over to closet to see what clothes to take for her "If you won't help here, then I will choose them for you!" she told her serious without looking at her and showing her this way that she has no chance with the toys.

Sandy sighed disappointed and put the toys she had brought on bed, going then to choose her wardrobe for trip.

Sandy was telling her which clothes and with her mother's help, she made a selection. Then she was handing each to her, to be folded and placed in bag. Because the selection was a little too big, Meredith didn't make her to give up on any and took them to put them in hers.

Derek had finished with his luggage in the meantime and joined them, just watching amused how easy to convinced was Meredith at Sandy's pleadings sometimes.

"You know Meredith, one of the things that we have in plan for New York this trip are the shopping, lots of shopping, so I am afraid that you will carry all the baggage on our way back!"

"Talk to her then!" Meredith motioned to Sandy, who was still in closet looking for more things to take with her.

Derek went to her and picked her up without any comment, moving her then on bed.

"I am not done daddy!" Sandy pushed him away and wanted to jump from bed.

Derek guessed her next move, so he caught her immediately. "Did you hear what I just said… shopping Sandy, new clothes, many clothes?"

Sandy looked at him with big eyes; she was obviously thrilled.

"So stop! Now because mommy already packed them, these ones we'll leave them at grandma to have them there for your next visit to them, ok?"

Sandy was very attached on her wardrobe, so this didn't sound very exciting.

"We'll buy prettier clothes then these ones, I promise!" he picked her up in his arms to cocker her a little, enjoying this way the sound of her laugh. He put her over his shoulder, with the head down and held tight her legs. At this point Sandy was screaming hysterical between laughs to be put down. She was pulling him by his shirt, but nothing was making him to bring her into the stand-up position.

Derek set down on bed and leaned on back a little. Sandy was now touching the mattress with her hands and she was able to support herself in them. She was now in the position to roll over, so Derek let her legs go.

Sandy laughed hard when she return in the normal position after that rolling and jumped on Derek's neck "Again!"

Derek laughed and brought her in his arms "You are like a little gymnast!"

Sandy liked the compliment she received from him, so she pleaded him to do it again.

While Derek was exhausting Sandy with all kind of twists and rolling, Meredith finished with her baggage and then started to clean around the living room.

Somebody knocked on door and because Sandy was too busy and too noisy, she didn't hear it to run as usual and answer the door. This time, Meredith was the one who did it.

"Hi girls, come on in!" She opened the door for her friends.

They immediately heard Sandy's hysterical laugh.

"What is happening to her?" Izzie was almost laughing too just hearing her.

"I think Derek wants to be sure that she gets even more excited with this trip than she already is!"

All four of them stepped in living room and set down on couch.

"How about you? Aren't you excited too?" Christina looked up at her, while she was still gathering some of Sandy's things from around.

"I am going to meet the big family so excited is not the right word for my spirit right now!"

"You will have to get used with crowded houses from now on!" Christina told her handing her one of the Sandy's shirts.

The laugh suddenly stopped._ "That's Christina!" _Sandy told to Derek and in the next second, she came out from her room.

She didn't know who to hug first, so she remained at the end of the couch, looking at them smiling.

"Come!" Addison motioned her to come to her.

Sandy hurried to go to her and started to climb on her lap. Addison helped her and picked her up to make her access into her arms easier.

"How's my little mermaid doing? Are you ready to meet your grandparents?"

Sandy nodded excited at her "And my cousins!"

"Wow! I can't wait to see photos from this trip!"

When she heard about photos, Sandy asked to be put down and ran to her parents' room.

Derek was just coming out from there, when Sandy ran into him.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Your friends are over there!" Derek told her pointing to living room.

"I need something!" she told him pushing him away from the doorframe, to make herself room to go in.

Derek rolled his eyes and went to join the others.

It didn't take her long to come back with the book that Derek had showed her. She put it on Addison's lap and opened it.

"Look Addie, here is New York!" she showed her excited two pages with photos.

"Wow!" Addison picked up the book and started to browse it, pretending she is impressed by what Sandy was carefully showing her. "You have to take many photos to show me when you will come back!"

"I will!"

"And don't forget the gifts!" Christina told her, getting all the eyes on her.

"Christina!" Izzie pinched her arm as twit.

"Of course we'll bring gifts, Christina! Sandy will be the one who will choose them, right Sandy?" Derek picked her up and took a seat next Addison, placing Sandy on his lap.

"Yes! Many gifts!"

Meredith chuckled at him amused having the feeling that this trip will cost him a fortune if he said that.

"Well… I don't know if there will be many gifts! One for each is enough don't you think?" Derek guessed the trouble he might have got into and he was looking at them hoping to receive an approval.

But in exchange he got only dirty stares from Addison, Izzie and Christina and an amused one from Meredith.

"Don't worry Derek we'll thank you for that gift no matter how small and cheap it will be!" Addison looked at him smiling and teased him.

"What do you want me to buy you, Addie?"

"I don't know Sandy, but I am sure that whatever you will buy for us will be the greatest gift!" Addison cupped her face and kissed her.

"Besides, this should be a surprise!" Meredith told her "So we'll pick something without telling them what!"

Suddenly Sandy had another usual reaction as hers, as if a fear got her. She climbed down from Derek's lap and went over to her mother who was sitting down on a chair across them.

"Mommy"

"What is it now?"

"We didn't write the letter for Santa!"

"Oh, you're right!" Meredith stood up "We should write it now, not to forget later!" Meredith started to walk to her room closely followed by Sandy.

"Meredith is about to freak out because of this trip, so I suggest you to watch her closely when you'll get there!"

"And try to convince your family to take it easy with her!"

"They would better be nice to her otherwise she will never accept them"

All these were Addison, Izzie and Christina's advices, when Meredith and Sandy had stepped in bedroom. Ok, Christina's tone sounded more like a threat than an advice.

This took Derek by surprise a little. He knew Meredith was confessing to them all the time and they were talking probably about their sex life too, but he also knew all this about her, just seeing how nervous she has been lately. But it took him by surprise their spontaneous reaction, like they had planned it.

"I know and I also said it to her, my family will love her; L O V E her!" he told them smiling "Of course I will be there for her, but I am sure that it won't need any comfort!"

"I hope so!" Christina shrugged from her shoulders as she wasn't very convinced.

"I'm going to miss Sandy, this Christmas!" Addison said with regret looking at her friends.

Izzie patted her shoulder and sigh approving with a nod what Addison had just said, "Yeah… it will be weird without her!"

Sandy and Meredith came out from Meredith's room together, Meredith holding a sheet of paper and a pen and Sandy bringing with her an envelope.

"So again, what is this letter for?" Addison stood up and came to join them on table.

"It's for Santa!" Sandy told her putting the envelope down on table and trying to climb on chair on her mother's lap.

Meredith helped her and put her down comfortable.

"We are writing a letter to Santa to tell him where to find us!" Meredith looked up at her with a suggestive look, like 'you know what you have to do'.

"Oh, this is a great idea!"

"Ok Sandy, now tell me what to write!" Meredith told her taking the pen in hand and being ready to start.

"I don't know mommy, tell him where we are going!"

"Ok, look how we are going to do…" she started to write down on paper " 'Dear Santa,' and now it's your turn to continue because it is your letter. You can't write, so I am helping you with this, but the words have to come from you so that Santa will know that you wrote it!"

"Ok!" Sandy took a second to think about it, " 'Dear Santa, mommy, daddy and me left to New York to meet grandma Helen and grandpa David', did you write it mommy?" Sandy bent over the paper to check herself.

"I did! Go on!"

"Hmm… 'They have a Christmas tree too, so you can bring the gifts there in New York'… it's good mommy?"

"Very good, continue!"

"What's their address?" Sandy looked curious at her.

"I don't know! What's their address Derek?"

Derek came behind them leaning over the chair's backrest "330 West 95th Street"

"Write it down mommy!"

"Ok!" And Meredith wrote down the address. "What else do you want to tell him?"

"Thank you?" Sandy looked at her questioning.

"That's it? Don't you have anything else to tell him?"

"Don't forget about my story books!"

Meredith looked up at Derek laughing and then she wrote it down "P.S.: Don't forget about my story books! Thank you,… and now you have to write your name!" Meredith took her right hand and gave her the pen "Just like I taught you!" she took her hand in hers and slowly they drew each letter down on paper, writing this way Sandy's name.

"Ok, let's read it one more time:

' _Dear Santa,_

_Mommy, Daddy and I left to New York to meet Grandma Helen and Grandpa David. They have a Christmas tree too, so you can bring the gifts there in New York._

……………

_P.S. :Don't forget my story books!_

_Thank you,_

_SANDY'_

"It sounds more like a telegram than a letter" Meredith smiled amused seeing the few rows that Sandy had managed to invent. "But I am sure that Santa will be impressed, especially because you wrote your name by yourself!"

Sandy looked up at her happy and then she took the paper and folded it. Then, with Meredith's help she put it in envelop, licking it to glue it!

"We don't have stamps mommy!"

"We don't need stamps, because it won't get to the post office. Santa will come to take it by himself!"

"But what if he will come too late?"

"He won't, because these days he comes every day to check if the children wrote him something and if they are nice or naughty!"

"I was nice mommy!" Sandy cuddled in her arms.

"You were very nice sweetie and Santa saw this!" Meredith cupped her little face and kissed her nose.

"We have to leave the door open for him!"

"We can't leave it open, but one of the girls will come to open it from time to time to let him in!" Meredith told her pointing to Addison and the others.

Sandy looked at Addison, because she was the one who was standing closer to her and waited for her to confirm it.

Addison got the message and nodded "Don't worry! He will get it!"

"We have to leave him cookies and a glass with milk mommy!"

"I'll take care of that!" Izzie came to them to assure Sandy that Santa will be very well treated.

"Ok!" Sandy smiled with relief that this problem was solved, but then she bitted her lower lip and stood up on her knees in Meredith's lap hanging on her neck. "Mommy" she whispered in her ear.

"What is it?"

"Mommy, can they come with us, please?" referring at Addison, Izzie and Christina.

Her whisper was loud enough to be heard by the others too.

"We talked about this Sandy, and I told you they can't come!"

"Why?" her voice was now crying and much louder.

Meredith looked at the others not knowing what to tell her. She knew she wasn't fine with this idea.

Christina was Meredith's salvation, "Because we will have to work a lot these days! Dr. Burke is a very bad boss!"

The others hardly could hold not to laugh. After her break up from Burke, Christina was obviously not a fan of his.

"I don't like Dr. Burke! Dr. Webber was nicer!" Sandy pouted sad and crossed the arms at chest.

"Many of us think like you Sandy!" Christina nodded happy to see that not even Sandy likes him.

"I guess we should let you get ready for bed!" Addison stood up and took Sandy from Meredith "I'll see you next year Sandy! Be a good girl in New York and have fun, okay?"

Sandy nodded sad and hugged her "I'm gonna miss you Addie!"

"Aww… I'll miss you too sweetie!" She rubbed her cheek and kissed it "But you will have so much there that you won't even notice when the time came to return home!" Addison kissed her one more time and put her down.

Christina, who was near them bent down on her "I am sure that Santa will drop this year too some gifts for you in our apartment!"

Izzie picked her up too and kissed her "I am sure too, and when you will come back we'll have a small party to unpack the gifts and will have some cookies too! And you are going to tell us about everything that you saw there, ok?"

"Ok!" Sandy answered them sad. Not even the idea of a party with cookies was making her feel better.

In the meantime, they had started to walk to door; so when they got there, Izzie put her down.

"Don't forget to leave cookies for Santa, Izzie!" Sandy looked at her dragging her by pants to get her attention.

"Don't worry about that Sandy! And we won't forget to unlock the door either!"

Sandy gave her a small smile and nodded.

They took goodbye from Meredith and Derek too and then they went out on door. Sandy followed them outside on hallway, standing near by the door and looking after them.

"Bye!" She waved them.

"Bye Sandy and don't forget to take pictures!" Addison shouted from elevator.

"And don't forget the gifts for us, ok?" Christina needed to remind her and just then the elevator was there, so everyone waved back at her and got in it.

Sandy returned inside sad and closed the door. Derek and Meredith were sitting on couch in each other's arms talking about this trip. When they saw her coming back and looking so down, they called her to them.

Derek picked her up and put her between him and Meredith.

Meredith pulled her to her to have her head resting on her chest, "I know you are going to miss them sweetie, but we'll come back and you heard what Izzie said about a party."

"But I want them to come with us! They can meet grandma and grandpa!"

Meredith and Derek understood now how difficult it is going to be for her when they will move from there. Sandy grew up with them so they were part of her family too.

"Guess what Sandy?" Derek tried to distract her from this break up and to bring back her excitement for this trip.

Sandy just looked at him curious.

"I heard that your cousin Carrie will be there too tomorrow when we'll get there!"

Carrie was one of his nieces and she was the same age as Sandy. Derek talked about her a lot hoping that they will become good friends during their visit there.

"And she is very excited to meet you!"

"She will want to play with me?"

"I am sure she will!"

Meredith stood up and picked her up "It's time to get ready for bed!"

Sandy smiled for the first time since the break up from her friends "I can't wait to get there!"

Meredith kissed her and carried her to her room. She helped her with the bath, then to get in pajamas and then she put her in bed.

"Do you want mommy to read you a story?"

Sandy shook the head at her "I want to look in daddy's book!"

Derek was in the doorway, when Sandy said that so he was the one who went to bring it to her.

Meredith got in bed next to Sandy tickling her tummy.

When Meredith stopped, it was Sandy's turn to tickle her, but of course, her fingers were not having the same effect as Meredith's on her. Meredith was laughing to make her believe that she was indeed revenging for the previous tickles.

She stopped when Derek came back with the book and she lifted the covers for him to get in bed next to her too.

Her bed was small, so Derek dragged her in his arms and he came next to Meredith.

It took them some time to make her fall asleep and when they made it, Derek put her back down in bed and let her sleep.

They got ready for bed and Meredith made sure that everything was ready for road. She turned off the lights and got in bed next to Derek.

Derek received her immediately in his arms kissing her forehead.

Meredith suddenly jumped up and turned on the light.

"What is it?" Derek stood up too worried.

"I don't know where I put the tickets and the passports!"

"They are in your purse, Meredith!"

Meredith was already out of bed and went directly to her purse. Indeed the tickets and the passports were there.

"Ok, I am going to leave them here, but if tomorrow morning I will change the purse, remind me to take them from it!"

Derek smiled and shook his head "Come here!" he lifted up the covers inviting her back in bed.

Meredith joined him and turned off the light. She snuggled in his arms with the face in his neck.

"Mer?" Derek spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"What?"

"Are you sleeping?"

"No, I can't sleep right now!"

Derek pulled his head away from her so that he can see her face "You know what I just realized?"

"What? That you don't want to marry me anymore and to be Sandy's father?" she asked him joking.

Derek smiled to and leaned on her for a kiss "No! You have no chance to escape from me now!"

"Good!"

Derek started to run his hand through her hair and from time to time to run it along her neck's curve "We didn't have a real date yet! You know… you and me to a restaurant or a movie!"

"This is what happens when you have a child!"

Derek rolled on top of her, taking her legs between his "I think we didn't have one yet, because none of us could let Sandy alone for a night! But I think we should do it once!"

"You are getting bored of her, aren't you?" Meredith asked him, but she was not reproaching him anything; contrariwise, she was running her hands through his hair too.

"I love to spend the time with her, but I also love to spend some time with her mommy only!" Derek started to kiss her lips first, then he moved down on chin and lower on her neck.

"I know! I wish we could have more time for ourselves!"

"Sandy is sleeping right now, so we have some hours!" Derek raised his head from her neck and smiled cocky at her "What do you say?"

"I say we should start!"

Derek chuckled and sneaked his hand under her shirt, slowly started to lift it up lowering his head down to her belly giving kisses on the spots he had exposed. With a hand he uncrossed her legs and lifted one of it on his waist, letting himself down on her. His mouth found it hers again and forced his tongue to get through her teeth and meet hers.

Meredith grabbed his shirt and brought up along his body pulling it up over his head and throwing it immediately around the bed. Her fingers where now running up and down on his back digging into his skin each time Derek was touching the spots that were driving her crazy.

Through their moans, another noise interfered and made them stop and look at each other.

"Tell me that wasn't the door handle!" Derek told her in whisper.

"It wasn't!" Meredith grabbed his face and pulled it back into a kiss.

But the noise was heard again and this time Derek rolled onto his back groaning. "She is awake!"

Meredith stood up pulling the shirt back and removed the covers from her "Damn it Sandy!" she stormed out from bed and headed to door.

Indeed, when she opened the door Sandy was hanging on the door handle.

"What is Sandy? Why did you wake up?"

"Mommy, did you buy tickets for Santa?"

Derek burst into laugh and Meredith smiled shaking the head. She had ruined her sex session with Derek, just to ask if she bought tickets for Santa.

Meredith picked her up in arms and smoothed her hair "Sweetie, Santa won't come to New York with the airplane, because he has his sleigh, remember? So he doesn't need airplane tickets"

"Ok!"

Meredith started to walk to take her back to her room, when Sandy stopped her "Mommy, can I sleep with you?"

"Sandy, you are a big girl now! You can sleep alone!"

"Please mommy, please, please!" Sandy crossed the hands as pleading.

Meredith considered that night crushed once again for her and Derek, so she sighed and nodded.

Derek knew already what was going to happen so he pulled the shirt back on and waited for them to return.

Sandy jumped in bed right next to Derek and laid down. "I'm sleeping with you daddy!" she told him happy and snuggling into him.

Derek laughed and pulled her closer "And mommy and me are very happy to have you here!" he looked at Meredith smiling.

Meredith shook her head and got in bed next to them.

Derek stood up a little and bent over Sandy to get to Meredith "I can't believe what I heard from you a minute ago!"

"Shut up Derek! You were saying the same thing in your head, I just said it loud!" She gave him a quick kiss and pushed him back.

Sandy turned around to her mother "Mommy, can I take my angel and put it in their tree?"

"What angel?" Derek asked them curious.

"She has a favorite angel as ornament for the Christmas tree. We buy one each year, but because this year we are not going to spend the Christmas home, we kind of forgot to buy it!"

"I see! Of course you can take it, Sandy and remind me tomorrow to put on our shopping list another angel!"

"Ok!" Sandy closed the eyes satisfied.

After just a few seconds, she opened them again. She looked first at Derek and saw he was having his eyes closed, and then she looked at Meredith to see that she was sleeping too.

She then turned the eyes over the ceiling, but since there wasn't anything fascinating on it and she couldn't sleep, Sandy looked again at each of them. This time she saw Meredith looking at her.

She felt her fussing so she opened the eyes to see what is going on with her.

Seeing her mother awake, Sandy moved closer to her.

"Mommy!" she whispered her.

"What's it baby?"

"I can't sleep!"

"Me neither, but we have to try! Come here and close your eyes!" Meredith pulled her into her arms, resting the head over hers.

"Mommy, do you think Carrie will be nice with me?"

"I am sure she will be!"

"Ok!"

Sandy didn't say anything more and this is why, Meredith thought she is asleep.

"Mommy?"

Apparently, she was wrong.

"What is it Sandy?"

"I want to play in snow!"

"Right now?"

"When we'll get there! Do they have snow there?"

"If it will snow, then you will be able to play in snow!"

At 4 o'clock a.m. the alarm went on and filled the room with its annoying sound for a several seconds, until Derek woke up and turned it off. He looked over to Sandy and Meredith, who didn't seem to have heard it.

Derek made his way out of bad lazy and went over Meredith's bedside to wake her up.

He bent down over her and kissed softly her lips, "Mer, wake up hun!"

Meredith ran a hand over her face to remove what was disturbing her and turned with the face to Sandy.

Derek took a seat by her side and approached to her ear biting the ear lobe "Wake up Meredith! We have to get ready!" he knew this will wake her up and indeed, he wasn't wrong.

Meredith rolled back on her previous position and opened the eyes rubbing them.

"Come Mer, get up!" Derek stood up and grabbed her hand to drag her up.

Meredith stood up in her sit and looked over to Sandy, who was still peacefully sleeping next to her. She bent down to her and kissed her, but nothing could have waked her up in that moment.

With Derek's help she got out of the bed "Let's give her more minutes!" she mumbled stumbling on her way out from bedroom.

She made some coffee and some sandwiches for road, while Derek took a shower.

Derek drank his coffee while he was dressing in the same time and Meredith was taking her shower.

After half an hour, Meredith knew she has to wake Sandy up, so she returned to bedroom.

"Sandy sweetie it's time to wake up!" Meredith nudged her gently bended over her. "Come on baby, it's time to go to New York"

Sandy mumbled some words, but they sounded more like sounds.

"I want to sleep more, mommy!"

"You will sleep in car and then in airplane, but now try to wake up and get ready!"

"Uh hum!"

Meredith knew there was no chance to wake her up, so she went in her room to bring her the clothes.

"Is she awake?" Derek asked when he saw her coming out.

"No and she won't be very soon either!"

"Well you two had a long chat last night!" Derek smiled after her as she was getting in Sandy's room.

Meredith just looked back at him smiling; she knew what he was referring at.

While Meredith was dressing the sleepy girl, Derek started to take the suitcase down in car.

Meredith finally managed to dress Sandy, even with her winter jacket and the hat.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Derek asked when he came to see what they were doing.

"No, it's fine! I have her!" Meredith picked her up to carry her.

Sandy made herself comfortable in her mother's arms and rested the head on her shoulder.

"Are we ready?" Meredith asked Derek looking around to see if he took everything.

"I got your purse with the tickets and the passports, we have the sleeping beauty!" he laughed pointing to Sandy. "You have me, I have you so … we are ready!"

Meredith smiled and walked to door.

"Mommy!" Sandy mumbled from her shoulder "The letter!"

"The letter is still on table, see?" She turned around so that Sandy can see the letter. "And we took the angel too!"

Sandy sighed and closed back the eyes.

Meredith stood in the backseats with Sandy in her arms and slept all the way to the airport together with her daughter.

Derek parked the car in the airport's parking lot and just then Meredith woke up. Derek helped her to get out of the car, putting Sandy back on her shoulder, and then he took out the suitcases.

As they were heading to entry, they saw a few snowflakes coming down from sky.

"Look Sandy, it's snowing!" Meredith patted slowly her back to wake her up.

Sandy opened the eyes sleepy and looked up to see how a snowflake landed on her nose. She giggled amused and hung back on her mother's neck to continue her sleep.

She slept until the boarding started.

They found their seats in airplane; three seat in the middle row.

Sandy was excited to see how the airplane looks on the inside, since this was her first flight with one.

Meredith was now nervous for Sandy, because she didn't knew how she handle the flight.

Sandy took the seat from middle, between Meredith and Derek and waited patiently for the other passengers to come looking around her curious and analyzing each detail. Her eyes spotted a pair of old people, who had just got in and took the seats from Meredith's left. Because they saw her looking at them, the old woman smiled and waved at her.

Sandy smiled and waved back.

The flight attending gave them the regular instructions and then came to check if they have the seatbelt tied.

The take-off was pretty scary for Sandy holding tight her parents' hands. Once the airplane was in air, she calmed down and seemed to feel fine.

Derek gave her the book with animals to keep her busy, while Meredith was napping and he took a book for himself to read it.

Soon Sandy started to feel sleepy again, so Derek covered her with the blanket and gave her a pillow.

Meredith woke up later and since her face was turned over Sandy and Derek's seats, she saw Derek sleeping and Sandy missing. She straightened in her seat immediately and looked around. She sighed relieved when she saw her on her old woman's lap watching outside on the small window. She stood up and went over to them.

"Sandy, why are you disturbing them?"

Sandy turned around at her, same as that couple.

"She is not disturbing us!" the lady told smiling and very kind.

"Look mommy, why are over the clouds! See?" Sandy pointed with the finger outside.

"I can see sweetie, but you should come back!"

Sandy climbed down from the lady's lap and came to her.

"I'm sorry for this!" Meredith apologized to them and returned to their seats.

"It's fine!" the old man told her "She told us she going to meet her grandparents! We are going to meet our new granddaughter!" he told her proud and with sparkles in his eyes.

"Congratulations!" Meredith answered them politely.

"Thank you!" both of them answered and the old man handed her back the book that Sandy had shown them.

Because she was getting bored, Sandy wanted to show her mother that she knows what sound makes each animal. Meredith tried to stop her or at least to make her keep the voice down, but there was no hope for that to happen. She was finding it amusing and embarrassing in the same time, because now if there was anyone in that airplane that didn't know how the cat mews, then Sandy was the right teacher to show it.

Derek woke up by the strange noises that were coming from nearby and started to laugh amused hearing her.

"Sandy please stop! It's enough!" Meredith was trying to make her shut up, seeing all the eyes from there on her "You are disturbing the other passengers!"

The old couple said they are not disturbed and contrary they are having fun listening her. Same two of the passengers from the row behind them said it's fine and to let her go on.

The flight attending also came to them laughing to see if she needs a glass of water or something else.

"No, she is fine! Thank you!" Meredith told her visibly embarrassed by that situation.

"I want water, mommy!" Sandy protested immediately and the lady went to bring her water.

"Please Derek, make her stop!"

"Why? If she is having fun and the others are entertained by her, then why she should shut up?"

"Derek!" Meredith pinched his arms angry seeing that he is about to play along with Sandy.

When the lady brought her the water, Sandy took the glass and thanked her politely, just like her mother taught her, receiving this way a series of compliments from the flight attending and other passengers.

Once that she felt her throat wet again and the sounds coming out smoothly, Sandy started again, this time accompanied by Derek. Now Sandy was the cat and Derek the dog, and they were mewing and barking at each other. Meredith made herself small in her chair; she was laughing too but it was in the same time too embarrassing for her.

After more than 5 hours they announced their arrival in New York.

The landing was also very unpleasant for Sandy, but once that the engines stopped she forgot the shaking and the difference of pressure and get her joy back. Most of the passengers were saluting and complimenting her, while they were passing by her.

"It was fun mommy with the airplane! I liked it!" Sandy was jumping happy holding her mother's hand, while they were waiting for their luggage.

"I am sure it was sweetie! Thank God you are just 4 years old otherwise I don't think they would have found it amusing!" Meredith laughed and arranged her hat on head.

"I'm hot mommy!" She protested lifting the hat a little.

"Keep it there, Sandy! We'll be out in a minute and it will be cold."

"It's snowing outside?"

"It doesn't look like!"

Sandy sighed disappointed and waited for them to take all the suitcases.

Derek put her up on the luggage cart over suitcases and pushed her until out. They rented a car and loaded everything in it. Meredith tied the safety-belt in back, and then she and Derek got in too. All the way from the airport to Derek's house, Sandy was staring outside on window. She gasped and when she the Statue of Liberty.

"Do you see it mommy?"

"I see it sweetie! Amazing, isn't it?"

"Yes! Do you see it daddy?"

"I see it too baby!"

Sandy was having her eyes glued on window, "Wow!"

But just the Statue was the only thing that impressed her, because in rest she was disappointed. There was no snow!

After half an hour of driving, Derek turned the car on a secondary road and soon he stopped in front of a huge house.

Meredith looked at him shocked "Is this your house?"

Derek smiled and leaned on her to kiss her "The family is big so trust me the house is not big enough!"

From the second two the door opened and around six persons came out to greet them.

Derek saw the panic from Meredith's eyes, so he squeezed her hand as encouragement and got out of the car. Immediately everybody jumped on him with hugs and kisses.

In the meantime, Meredith went you and helped Sandy too. Same as Derek, she was immediately greeted by those persons.

She recognized from photos, Helen and at first sight just one of his sisters, Kathleen.

"Meredith!" Helen was the first one who came to her and greeted her "I finally meet you!"

Meredith hugged her back "I'm glad to meet you too!"

Helen broke the hug and looked down at Sandy, who was hiding behind Meredith.

She bent down and opened her arms for her smiling, "And this is my newest granddaughter! Come here Sandy!"

This was one of the rare, extreme rare moments when Sandy was shy for real. If anyone would have expected for one of them to freak out in that moment, that person it would have been Meredith; but it wasn't so. Sandy was the one who got scared by all those crazy people that were laughing, talking loud, hugging and kissing.

Sandy hided her face in her mother's legs refusing to let her pants go.

Meredith was trying to bring her in front, "Sandy, aren't you going to say hello to grandma?"

Sandy's grip was tightening with each try of her mother's to bring her in front of her.

"Sandy, this is not nice of you!"

"Don't worry dear! She must be scared to see all of the sudden so many people around her! Let's give her some time to get used with us!"

"I am sorry, usually she is not like this!"

"So I heard, but it's fine!"

Sandy let herself to be picked up in arms by Meredith, but she was refusing to talk or even to look at each person that was saluting her and Meredith.

They stood outside in front of the house until the greetings were done.

Meredith met Derek's sisters Kathleen, Carol and Nancy, their husbands and three of their kids. None of those kids was Carrie.

"Mommy, I am thirsty!" Sandy told in her mother's ear.

Derek who was there with them heard her and took her from Meredith "Do you like it here?"

Sandy shook her head sad.

Derek knew the reason, so he didn't get worried or upset "Let's go inside because we are thirsty!" he told the others.

They walked to house with Helen in front of them and the rest of the family, or better said a part of them, behind.

"Where is Carrie?" Kathleen asked looking around and seeing that her daughter was missing "Laura, go and find your sister!" she told her to her 11 years old daughter.

In the meantime, Helen, Derek, Meredith and Sandy went to kitchen. Derek put Sandy down on counter and went over to his mother to hug her one more time.

"I've missed you mom!"

"I've missed you too son!" Helen hugged him back, but she fast pushed him away to get the water for Sandy.

"Where is dad?"

"He went to visit his old friend, Luke and you know how hard the say goodbye to each other! I told him not to go, because he will miss your arrival, but he didn't want to listen."

"It's fine mom! He has to come back at some point!" Derek came over to Meredith, took off her coat, and took Sandy's too. He gave Meredith a quick kiss and left to take the coats to wardrobe.

When she saw herself alone in there just with Helen and Meredith, Sandy grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her to her.

Meredith came to her and arranged her hair "What is it, Sandy?"

Sandy didn't answer and buried the face into her.

"Here you go sweetie!" Helen handed her the glass of water.

Sandy raised the head and took the glass "Thank you!" she answer shy and hardly to hear.

Helen smiled happy to hear her talking for the first time since they got there. "You're welcome sweetie! Now let's get back to the other!"

Meredith took the glass from Sandy and put it down, then she picked her up to put her down.

"No mommy!" Sandy pleaded her to take her back in arms.

Meredith took her back and kissed her "Don't you think you are a little too big to be carried in arms?"

Sandy shook her head smiling.

Meredith and Helen smiled at each other and walked together in living room.

"Look who else is playing shy today!" Derek picked a little girl up in his arms and came over to Meredith and Sandy "Carrie, this is my little girl, Sandy! Your cousin! And Sandy, this is Carrie!"

At first both of them looked at each other shy, but Sandy was the first one who smiled and extended the hand for shake. Just then Carrie smiled back and shook the hand with her.

They put them down and told them to go and play together.

Because they didn't know each other very well yet, none of them hurried to do it and stayed around them; Carrie following Derek and Sandy following Meredith. They took a seat on couch between them looking at each other and then around them.

Sandy started to drag her mother's sleeve "Mommy" she whispered to make sure that no one hears her.

"What is it?"

"Look" she pointed to a photo from wall.

Meredith saw that for the first time and was same as surprised as Sandy. It was a photo of hers with Sandy and Derek taken at Sandy's last birthday.

She knew that Derek had sent photos of theirs to his parents, but she wasn't expecting to see them hanging on wall together with the photos of the others members of family.

"Laura, go and take the girls to play in the play room, please!" Kathleen told her daughter when she saw them standing there so quiet.

Laura came to them and stopped in front of them "Come Carrie, Sandy!" she offered them her hands to go with her.

Since she saw that photo, Sandy felt more comfortable in that house so she accepted immediately to go with her.

There were actually more photos of them alone or together with Derek and this impressed Meredith and helped her to get used with them easier.

"Did anyone call dad? Is he still coming?" Derek asked his family after some time. "We got here an hour ago!"

"Kevin talked to him 5 minutes ago and … he is stuck in traffic!" Nancy told him rejoining their group in living room. "So, when is the wedding? We didn't find out anything about date?"

Derek looked first at Meredith and then back at them "We were thinking somewhere in June!"

"In June?! Why so far away?" Helen jumped fast when she heard that.

"As you know the house is not ready yet and on the 1st of May is going to be Sandy's birthday, so we already have too many things to plan! We delay the wedding just a little!" Derek answered.

"Why don't you celebrate the wedding and Sandy's birthday in the same day? It would be a double party!" Kathleen came up with the idea.

"Sandy likes to be the main attraction on her party, so she won't be very happy to celebrate her day together with our wedding!" Meredith explained them the reason "But we are expecting you to come to Seattle for her birthday!"

In all this time Meredith was resting her hand in Derek's; when she told them about the invitation at Sandy's birthday, Derek squeezed and made her to look at him, so that he can thank her with a smile. Meredith smiled back and squeezed his hand too.

"Of course we'll be there for the first anniversary with our granddaughter!" Helen was happy to for her invitation and smiled grateful at her.

"I hope dad will make it there in time and he won't show up when Sandy will go to college!"

"He will be here in a minute, Derek! Be patient!"

They saw the two little girls coming together at them. Carrie stopped at her mother, who was standing across Meredith and Derek and on couch and Sandy stopped at her mother.

"Mommy, can I have my puzzle with "The secret garden"? I want to play with Carrie!"

"It's in one of the suitcases, but…" she looked first at Derek and then at the others "I don't know in which room!"

Helen stood up laughing, "That's right dear! We're sorry, we took you under interrogation and we didn't even let you unpack!"

"It's fine mom, I'll take her!" Derek stood up and took Meredith's hand to lead her upstairs.

Sandy immediately came to him and rose her arms to him "Pick me up!"

Derek picked her up in arms without any other comments and started to walk towards to stairs. When they passed near Carrie, she started to follow them and then stopped in front of Derek. "Pick me up too, uncle Derek!"

Derek bent down a little and with one arm he took her up "You two are getting to big to be carried in arms!"

"We're not big yet, uncle Derek!"

"That's right!" Sandy sustained Carrie's statement.

Derek showed Meredith the door from his old room and motioned her to open it since he was having the hands full.

Meredith opened the door and stepped in. Their suitcases had been brought up and put down around the bed. The room was simple, clean, painted into a light blue color with sheets on bed that were into a different tone of blue, but matching perfect with color from walls; not with many personal things of Derek, just photos of him and his sisters since they were kids and some more recent.

Derek put the girls down, took a seat on bed to rest until Meredith was giving them their desired game.

Meredith unzipped one of the suitcases and found Sandy's puzzle right away.

"Here you go!"

Sandy took it from her mother and showed the box to Carrie "See, this is the picture we have to build!"

"Let's do it!" Carrie motioned her to go in their room.

Meredith watched their interaction smiling and when they walked out from there, she went over to Derek and took a seat next to him wrapping her arms around his "Nice room!" she said giving one more look over it.

"Yeah, it's just a room!" Derek took the arm from her grip and put it around her waist, pulling her to rest on him "What do you think so far?"

"They're nice!"

"I was right, wasn't I?" Derek looked down at her with a big grin on his face.

Meredith chuckled and gave him a quick kiss "You were right!"

"I've told you so!" Derek needed to brag proud at her.

"Ok, shut up now, because I haven't met your entire family! I still have to meet one more sister and your father!"

"My dad? Everybody loves my dad and so you will! And Liz, I am sure you will love each other too!" Derek rubbed the thumb along her cheek and kissed her lips softly.

They heard a car stopping in front of the house, Carrie yelling excited and Helen yelling angry.

"Dad's home!" Derek told her smiling and stood up. He took her hand and leaded her downstairs.

"Grandpa" Carrie jumped in David's arms when he was still in the doorway.

David picked her up and kissed her, "Hey Carrie! Did you miss me that much sweetie?"

Right in that moment, Helen joined them patting the floor with the foot "Nice hour to show up, precisely today!"

David just smiled at her and looked back Carrie "I know and I can't wait to meet her too!" he put Carrie down and pretended to look around trying to figure out who is Sandy "Now let's see if I recognize her!"

Sandy had stopped somewhere behind Carrie and she was watching them smiling and quiet.

David saw her right from the moment he got in, so immediately he went over to her and picked her up "Hello Sandy!"

"I'm Sandy!"

"I know you are Sandy! Just for a second I thought you aren't because you are more beautiful in reality!"

Sandy giggled flattered by his compliment.

David kissed her cheeks and walk with her in living room "Now what do I have to do to get a hug and a kiss from you?"

Sandy didn't say anything; she just smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Helen protested when she saw that "He was late and he receives hugs and kisses, while me I was here and I didn't get anything?"

"Your grandma is jealous and because she is the one who cooks for us, we should not upset her!" David told Sandy to ear and put her down "Now go and make sure we'll have food for dinner tonight!"

"I heard that David!"

Sandy ran to Helen and this time, without any shy she opened the arms to be picked up. Once that she was up in Helen's arms, Sandy gave her not one kiss, but two kisses!

Meanwhile, Meredith and Derek came down to say hello to David.

"Hi dad!" Derek walked towards to him to hug him, but David had fixed his eyes on Meredith, so he passed by Derek "Hello son!" and just patted his shoulder and went over to Meredith.

"Hello son?! That's all I get after all these months of absence?" Derek looked back after him disappointed.

"I saw you 8 months ago, but I haven't met my future daughter-in-law! Hello Meredith!" David hugged her happy to finally meet her.

"Hello David! I'm glad to finally meet you!"

David broke the hug and pulled away holding her hands and giving her a better look "My son sure has great tastes in women!" he complimented her.

"Thank you David!"

"Like mother like daughter!"

In that moment realized that she didn't talk with Derek about Sandy's birth parents, but because she wasn't sure, she just thanked him again.

Then, David turned around to Derek and hugged him too patting his back "It's good to have you back, son!"

"It's good to be back!"

"I hope next Christmas you will show up with at least one more grandchild!"

"At least one?" Derek looked at him amused.

"Yes, maybe you will have twins or triplets!"

"We'll have to wait and see!"

Carrie and Sandy watched this reunion in silence until Carrie got bored and went to them.

"Grandpa, come and play with us!"

David turned around and looked down at her "Puzzle? I don't know how to play it!" he said joking.

"We'll teach you! Come!" Carrie grabbed his hand and started to drag him after her.

"I want to come too!" Nancy's 6 years old daughter, Mia, said, while in all this time she had stood with her older cousins.

David took their hands and started to walk to stairs. "Come Sandy!"

Sandy didn't follow them, instead she ran to Derek and took his hand, "Are you coming too?"

"I think I will, because grandpa can be a little dummy sometimes and he will need my help too!" Derek laughed and took her hand.

"Don't forget Derek that I paid for your education!" David shouted without looking back at him.

Derek chuckled and took Sandy in his arms to hurry after them.

Because Sandy, Carrie and Mia were the youngest and the rest of the children were from 9 to 14 years old they didn't mix to play together. The older ones preferred to do something else together than to play with them and grandpa.

Helen went upstairs with Meredith to help her unpack some of their things. Not all, because they were soon leaving to spend the holidays at the Shepherd's vacation house.

"You have no idea Meredith, how happy I am to see that Derek has finally decided to have his own family!"

Meredith looked up at her while she was taking out from suitcase Sandy's toys and smiled.

"Sandy is a wonderful girl! Derek told me Sandy's story and let me congratulate you for the great job you've made with her!"

"So, he told you I didn't birth her!"

"He did, but don't worry, she is still our granddaughter and Derek's girl!" Helen came over to her and rubbed her arms "We are very happy to have you in our family!"

Meredith was very touched by Helen's word and smiled tearing.

Helen gave her a hug and patted her back "You two would better take good care of her from now too!"

"I sure will! I can't imagine my life without her now!"

Helen wiped her eyes and returned to what she was doing before this "Let's not get too sentimental and enjoy these days together!"

Meredith nodded and continued with the unpacking.

They took Sandy's clothes and toys in the room that she was going to share with Carrie, Mia and Laura.

"Umm… Helen?"

"Yes dear!"

"Does everybody know about Sandy? I mean, that she is not my…!"

Helen guessed her question, so she didn't let her continue "Just me and David! We didn't know if you will agree to tell the others!"

"Well…I would prefer not too; I mean, I don't want the others kids to find out because you know… they might…"

"Be mean to her, I know! Don't worry! This is just a minor detail and they don't really have to know it!"

"Thank you, Helen!"

Helen smiled and nodded.

Derek and David were having a real fun with the girls. The girls finished the puzzle right away, so to they soon moved to the construction of a house from leggo pieces.

They built the house and then they started to make the fence around it, placing after that trees and different animals in miniature in the new yard.

David let the girls to decorate the yard and motioned to Derek to follow him. He took him aside watching them smiling.

"You're a father now!"

Derek nodded smiling and watching the girls too "Yes, I am!"

"Are you happy?" David turned his look over him.

"I am dad!" Derek looked at him and the sparkle from his eyes was confirming it "I am very happy! I love them more than anything!"

David smiled and patted his back "How are you finding the fatherhood so far?"

"Amazing but so exhausting sometimes!"

"And you have just one; imagine how I felt with five! That was exhausting!" David chuckled and looked back at girls.

"Before another baby I want to take Meredith out for a date! Can you imagine that we haven't been on a date since we met?"

David laughed "Why do you think we stopped at Liz! Don't worry, you can try to take her out while you are here! Sandy can stay with us and as you can see she has new friends too now and I kind of doubt that she will miss any of you!"

"You know, that's a great idea! But just to be sure, don't tell Sandy what we want to do!"

"Who would have thought that my only son is not capable to take a woman out for a date!"

Derek laughed and shook his head returning to girls.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly for everyone and before going to sleep, most of them gathered in the girls room, where David was telling the kids stories invented by him. Because Sandy was the special guessed, she was the one who stood this time in David's arms while he was telling them the stories.

"He's better than you!" Meredith whispered to Derek standing together in the doorframe.

"Hey, I'm still learning!"

Sandy was exhausted after such a long day, so she was the first one who fell asleep. Soon, each kid fell asleep, and just then, David ended his stories.

Meredith kissed her girl as good night and then joined Derek in their room.

Meredith snuggled in his arms and relaxed. "How many girls did you bring in this room?"

"The number is not important, but none of them was as sexy as you!" Derek rolled on top of her letting his body to press over hers as his hands where smoothing her hair to back.

"I am the sexiest?" Meredith questioned with a cocky smile.

"You definitely are the sexiest!" he told her and right away his mouth dropped over hers kissing with hunger.

Meredith took his head away from her massaging her own lips because of the pain that Derek's kissed produced to them, "How sexy?"

"So sexy…" he smiled and slipped a hand under her night shirt "…that you turned me on with just one kiss" He leaned his head down starting to kiss her abdomen and to make circles with his tongue around her belly.

Meredith moaned quietly pulling his hair with both hands.

"You should…stop Derek!"

Derek returned to her face and covered her mouth with kisses to stop her protests "It's your fault …you are too sexy!"

"But we are in your parents' house and Sandy… God Derek" he had touched a soft spot as he was kissing her neck and his hand grabbed one of her breasts.

"Sandy's sleeping… deeply!" he pulled apart and rolled over until he was out of the bed.

He walked to door and locked it, then he turned around to Meredith smiling and starting to undress himself.

"Derek, I have the feeling that we shouldn't do this now!"

At this point, Derek was completely naked "We should and we should do it right now!" he came back in bed and lifted her up to pull her shirt off "The door is locked, Sandy is having nice dreams, and we…" he lifted her butt a little to drag the pants off from her "we are going to continue from were we had left it last night"

It didn't take them long until they were ready and cum together.

Derek fell breathless on her to catch back is breath while Meredith was running her hands along his body.

"This was…" Meredith tried to describe it but she wasn't able.

"Amazing!"

"Yeah"

Derek rolled over from her but stayed close enough to her to have her body glued to his and to breathe into her neck. "Are you ready for one more? Coz I sure am"

Meredith giggled and stood up in her sit "So am I, but right now I really have the feeling that we shouldn't continue"

Derek stood up and started to kiss her shoulders as his arm surrounded her chest and held tight one of her breasts.

"Derek…" Meredith moaned letting her head fall on back.

"Yes Meredith!" Derek continued to send shivers along his back with each kiss he was placing on her skin "Come and lay back" he brought her back on pillows and kissed her passionately.

"Derek, is that a baby cry?" Meredith pushed him away from her and stood up to listen better "It is… OMG, it's Sandy!" She jumped out of bed and started to dress fast "You should dress yourself too!" she told him as she was heading to door.

Getting out of the room she saw Helen carrying a crying Sandy in her arms.

"Mommy!" Sandy continued to cry when she saw her mother and extended her arms to come and take her.

"I think she had a nightmare" Helen gave Sandy to her.

"I'm sorry for this!" Meredith apologized seeing almost everyone getting out from their rooms sleepy to see what was going on "The first night in a new house is always difficult for her!"

"Don't worry! We understand! Have a good night and I'll see you on morning!"

"Good night!"

Sandy calmed down when she saw herself in her mother's arms and put the head down on a shoulder.

Meredith brought in their bedroom, where Derek was just coming out to see what happened.

"She probably got scared waking up into an unknown room, right baby?" Meredith picked up her head and looked at her.

Sandy nodded rubbing her eyes.

Derek smiled and took Sandy from her.

"I'm sorry Derek!"

Derek leaned on her kissed her "Stop saying you're sorry! You warned me!"

Meredith smiled and followed them in bed.

"How did you know this was going to happen?" Derek asked her as he put Sandy down and laid down next to her.

"Mother's instinct!"

"I should start working on my instincts as parent too!"

"You don't have to work too hard; they will come by themselves soon!"

Derek leaned on her and kissed her "Good night!"

"Good night!" then she bent over Sandy, who had fallen asleep already, and kissed her.

29


	14. I am broke… financial and physical

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Grey's Anatomy, just Sandy, who is a character invented by me.**

**A/N:**** I am sorry for coming so late with updates on this chapter, but as you can see almost every chapter is VERY long and believe me, it takes me a lot to write them and to right them well.**

**Starting with previous chapter, this one and at least the next one will be with Derek's visit in New York for holidays.**

**For this chapter, 13, I had to do some research on internet about NY, eps. Central Park. I hope you will not find that part too messed up.**

**--------------------**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 13**

**NY Day 2- I am broke… financial and physical**

As he was waking up, Derek felt his nostrils tickled by something; immediately he recognized the smell so he didn't open the eyes to see what the cause was. He moved closer to Meredith, smoothed her hair from back to be able to breathe easier, and glued his body to her back.

Meredith felt him moving behind her so she rolled onto her back, still standing in his arms, but this time with his breath in her cheek.

When she did that, Derek placed a kissed on it sleepy "Morning!"

"Morning" Meredith snuggled more comfortable in his arms continuing to sleep.

"I had a great dream about you last night!"

"You did?"

"I did"

"And what was I doing?"

"Sex"

Meredith giggled starting to run the hand up and down on his arm "With you, I hope"

"Of course with me"

"Then it wasn't a dream, it was real!"

"Really?"

Meredith just nodded smiling and Derek felt the movement of her head.

"Then why do we have the clothes on?"

"Because Sandy came to sleep with us, remember?"

"She did? And where is she?"

"She is not here?"

"I am holding you in my arms, so she is not here!"

Just then, they opened the eyes and Meredith stood up in her sit to look around the room and see that Sandy wasn't indeed there anymore.

"Where is she?" she looked confused at Derek, since last night Sandy had started to cry because she woke up into an unfamiliar place, she could not believe that she actually left from their room, before they to be awake too.

"Judging by the giggles from downstairs, I say she is there! Now come back here" Derek pulled her back down "I told you she will get used with them and this is why I dare to ask you to go out on a date with me tonight!"

Meredith turned on a side to face him as her hand was rubbing itself on his arm "Do you think we have a chance?"

"Well… I asked my dad for some help and he is very good on setting up dates for others!"

"You couldn't do it by yourself!" Meredith giggled and shook her head as tease.

Derek flipped her over onto her back and got on top of her. "I have to admit that I was beaten by Sandy! I can't compete with her!"

"And you are calling yourself a man!" Meredith giggled.

Derek leaned his head down to hers "I am, when she is not around". His lips started to let sloppy prints on her earlobe and along her neck.

"Or when I am not sleepy!" Meredith took his head in her hands and moved it away from her.

She snuggled into him and Derek didn't any other choice to do than to take her in his arms.

"What time is it?" Meredith asked as she closed the eyes and rested on his shoulder.

"8:34! I guess we can sleep one more half an hour!"

"I guess we can!"

They immediately drift to sleep in each other's arms.

------------------

"How long they are planning to sleep? It's already 10 o'clock!"

In kitchen, four of the kids where waiting impatiently for Meredith and Derek to wake up. They were the oldest: Katie 13, Rebecca 14, Anna 13 and Mike 14.

Rebecca was checking her watch periodically sitting on table and playing cards with her cousins. When she said that, everybody put the cards down and nodded.

"Tomorrow we'll leave to Southampton so this is the only day we can go shopping!" Rebecca continued, this time whining.

"Let's go and make some noise near their room, maybe this will wake them up!" Katie suggested.

"Yes, we can do this, but we'll be grounded for the rest of the day if grandma or grandpa finds out!" Rebecca replied fast.

"Then what can we do? I don't want to miss a shopping day!" Anna complained.

While the girls were looking for a solution, Mike was watching them shaking his head.

"God, you are clueless!" He said it into a final seeing that they can't find a way to leave sooner for shopping. "What happened to you?"

"Ok Mike, if you are so smart then you tell us!" Katie grimaced at him.

"What are we using when we want something without getting into a trouble?" He asked them to think.

The girls looked at each other, puzzled for a few moments, but slowly each of them understood and looked at Mike smiling.

"That's right! Use the little ones, in this case… use Sandy!" he told them in words what they were thinking.

"I'll go get her!" Rebecca stood up from table immediately and went to find Sandy.

She found her in living room playing with Carrie, Mia and Nancy. Rebecca took a seat on a chair not very far from them and pretended to look over a magazine, while she was finding a reason to take Sandy out from there without her mother to suspect anything.

"Sandy, I think I heard Derek!" After a couple of minutes, Rebecca put the magazine down on the coffee table next to her chair and looked over at Sandy, who was painting together with her cousins and her mother.

"I didn't hear him!" Nancy told her looking up at her.

"Me neither!" Sandy approved Nancy.

"Well… I did, so why don't we go and check?" Rebecca stood up from her chair and walked over to them.

"Rebecca" Nancy looked up at her daughter with a suspicious look.

"What? We just want to check if he is indeed awake!"

Nancy shook her head with distrust "Don't piss me off today Rebecca!"

"Come on mom, you are over reacting!" Rebecca smiled at her mother and acted as if Nancy would have been absurd.

Nancy still looked at her unconfident, but she motioned to Sandy to go with her.

Sandy put the paintbrush down in her water bowl and stood up taking the hand the Rebecca had offered her.

"Let's go to kitchen, I think there was where I heard him!" Rebecca leaded her to kitchen.

Walking inside, Sandy looked around after Derek, but she only saw her cousins, who were waiting for her in their seats.

"He is not here!" Sandy looked up at Rebecca confused.

"Oh yeah! I must have misheard!" Rebecca smiled without looking down at Sandy and leaded her to an empty chair. "Sit here Sandy!"

"But I want to go back to paint!" Sandy took her hand away from Rebecca's with the intention to leave.

Rebecca caught her back fast and held tight her wrist "Don't you want to go out in town today, Sandy?"

Sandy stopped the struggle and calmed down. "I do, but when mommy and daddy will wake up!"

"Well… it's getting late and we might not have time to go shopping today!"

"Oh" Sandy listened to her and got worried. "I'll go wake them up now!" and took her hand out from Rebecca's grip.

Hearing that, Rebecca released her immediately satisfied and looked over to her cousins smirking.

Sandy was about to walk out from kitchen, when she suddenly stopped and turned around to them.

"What is it?" Rebecca asked her.

"I don't remember where their room is!" Sandy told her a little embarrassed.

"Oh, don't worry!" Anna stood up and came over to her "We'll guide you!" She told her looking back and motioning to the others to come with them.

All five of them sneaked out to stairs careful without any grown-up to see them. They climbed up the stairs and when they were about to turn right on corner, they saw David and Kevin on hallway, not very far from Meredith and Derek's room.

"Oh no, grandpa and dad are there!" Rebecca sneaked her head around the corner and then pulled it back. "Stay quiet!" she whispered them and with a sign for Sandy too, to keep her mouth shut. "Maybe they'll enter in one of these rooms!"

-----------------

When Kevin walked out from his room, he ran into David, who was passing by his room in that moment.

"I called at 'The View" for their reservation tonight! This will cost Derek a lot of money because he made the reservation so late!" Kevin told him handing him a paper with some notes on it.

"I think at this point he will not care about money!"

"I still can believe that he is getting married!"

"Yeah, who would have thought?" David smiled at him.

"What do you know about Sandy's father?" Kevin asked her in whisper.

David knew the true about that, but because Derek and Meredith asked him and Helen to keep this a secret, he told Kevin just half of the truth. "He died in a car crash, when Sandy was 2, but please let's not talk about this! I don't want the kids and especially Sandy to hear us!"

"I understand!" Kevin nodded and together with David, they started to walk down the hallway towards stairs.

When they passed by Derek and Meredith's room, David stopped and turned into the direction of their room grabbing the door handle.

"What are you doing?" Kevin grabbed David's hand and stopped him.

"If they are doing anything in there, I supposed they locked the door." David smiled and spun the door handle. The door clicked and opened. David looked back at Kevin smiling and then he sneaked his head through the half-open door.

Meredith and Derek were sleeping in the middle of the bed; Meredith was resting on his chest and with a hand over his abdomen and Derek was having his chin over her head and an arm holding her.

"They should wake up if they want to do everything they have planned for today!" David whispered without looking back at Kevin.

"They look dead-beat! It must have been an active night!" Kevin chuckled. But for his remark, he received a nudge in his ribs from David.

"Don't be rude!" David looked back at him with a glare.

--------------

Back to corner, the kids got there right before David to open the door from Derek and Meredith's room.

"What are they doing?" Mike asked curios seeing them opening the door.

"Maybe they are awake!" Rebecca said.

Hearing that, Sandy ran right away from there straight to David and Kevin.

When they saw her running, everyone pulled back their heads to hide.

--------------

Sandy passed by David and Kevin running and entered in her parents' room shouting.

"Mommy, wake up!" she stopped on Meredith's bedside and started to drag the covers away from her.

"Sandy, what are you doing?" David followed her inside immediately and pulled her away from there.

"We have to go to shopping!" Sandy looked up at her grandpa to explain him the reason. "Mommy you have to wake up!" Sandy managed to escape from David's grip and to go back to bed.

"I am up Sandy! I am up!" Meredith groaned and rolled over sleepy to face her. "I'm up, see?"

"Let's give them a few minutes to get out of the bed, ok Sandy?" David was still trying to take her out from there. "Weren't you painting with Carrie and Mia?"

"It's fine dad, let her stay with us or won't wake very soon!" Derek rolled over too laying now over Meredith, with his chin on her shoulder.

David picked Sandy up and put her on bed next to Meredith.

When she saw herself in bed, Sandy passed over Meredith and got between them. "When are we leaving?" she asked looking at each of them.

"As soon as we are up and we eat the breakfast!" Derek mumbled as he flipped on back and rubbed sleepy his face.

"Do you mean the lunch, because the breakfast was served at 8.30!" David chuckled as he was making his way out from their room.

"What time is it now?" Derek asked him.

David checked his watch and looked back at him "10.30"

"What?" Meredith opened the eyes wide shocked to see how much they had slept.

"You must have been exhausted after the long road from yesterday!" David told them.

"I talked at "The View" and that problem is solved, Derek!" Kevin also stepped in a little to inform him about his restaurant reservation.

--------------

"What are you doing here?"

Hearing the admonishing tone of their grandma, Rebecca, Anna, Katie and Mike jumped up scared and turned around to see her standing behind them with her arms crossed against the chest and looking accusatory at them.

"Umm…" Anna was the first one who tried to find an excused, but she failed it right away, not being able to find a good reason.

"Who are you spying on?" She asked them raising an eyebrow and coming around the corner to see for herself.

"Nobody grandma, we were just… you know … going to …to bathroom!" Rebecca started to rumble and grabbed the closest arm, in this case Mike's arm, and started to walk towards bathroom, which was at the end of the long hallway.

"All of you?" Helen asked them distrustful.

"I… I want to show them something?" Rebecca tried to justify herself.

"Three girls and boy in the same bathroom?" Helen continued to look at them suspicious. "What are you planning now?"

"Nothing!" Rebecca answered immediately, turned around to hurry back down on stairs dragging Mike after her, and followed by Anna and Katie.

Helen watched them leaving and shook her head amused. "I just hope they will stay out of trouble these days!" She said to herself and turned around, hearing voices coming from Derek's room.

She walked towards their room and arriving in the doorway, she took the same accusatory attitude from earlier seeing David and Kevin in there.

"What are you two doing here?"

David met his wife's glare and knew he was in trouble "Nothing dear! We wanted to see if they woke up!"

"If they would have woken up, then they would've been downstairs! Why did you have to bother them?"

"It's fine mom! We have to wake up anyway!" Derek groaned annoyed by all the motion from his room. "We have a young lady here who can hardly wait to spend her daddy's money!"

For his comment, Meredith sent him a slap over his arm.

"And you young lady, what are you doing here? Weren't you painting downstairs?" Helen walked in and went over their bed. "Who brought you here?" Putting that question, Helen looked back at David and Kevin suspecting them.

"It wasn't us!" Kevin stepped back in defense. "She appeared out of nowhere!"

Helen shook her head understanding now what the other kids were doing on hall.

"Give us a few minutes and we'll be up too, ok?" Derek was hardly keeping his eyes opened, while Meredith seemed to have fallen asleep again and Sandy was looking at all of them waiting for their argument to end. "And leave Sandy here with us!"

Helen motioned the others to get out and she followed them outside.

Once that the door was back closed, Derek moved on his back closing the eyes for a few moments.

Looking down at each of them, Sandy saw that there was no intention from them to wake up soon; so she decided to take this mission in serious. She first moved so that she can face Derek and bent over his face. With two fingers, she pressed on his eyelids and opened them by herself.

"What are you doing Sandy?" Derek grabbed her hand with one hand and her legs with the other one and dragged her down next to him.

"I am waking you up!" Sandy answered from his arms.

Derek rubbed one of her cheeks and kissed her forehead "Like this sweetie? So brutal?"

"Then how?" She asked him curious.

"You could try with some kisses!"

Sandy smiled and climbed on his chest, cupping his face with her little palms and kissed him repetitively on face.

Derek chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, rolling her like this back in the space between him and Meredith. "See? This works better!" He told them returning her kisses.

Sandy was cuddling herself giggling under the assault of his kisses.

"Now go and wake up your mommy too!" Derek released her from his arms and looked at Meredith, who was sleeping on her back and with the face turned to the bed's edge.

Sandy did the same moves and very fast she got up on her mother's chest, leaning against her to reach to her face. She could only kiss one of her cheeks and her chin. "Mommy!" She started to nudge her seeing that she doesn't receive the same answer as she received from Derek.

"I'm awake, Sandy! I am awake!" Meredith turned the face to Sandy, but still keeping the eyes closed.

Because the kisses and the nudges didn't seem to work for her, Sandy stood up on her feet and did what her mommy was doing to her when she was waking up with difficulty. She bent down and grabbed her hands, then she started to dragged her up.

"What are you doing, Sandy?" Derek was still laid down watching her amused.

"I'm … waking… her up!" Sandy was struggling to bring Meredith up in her sit.

Meredith stood up by her own and caught Sandy in her arms fast, before she could fall down on back.

"I'm awake now!" Meredith brought her down in her arms and started to kiss her and to tickle her tummy. "See?"

Sandy stopped from the laughing that her mother caused her and nodded. She stood up and passing over Meredith, she reached on the edge of the bed and climbed it down. "Go and eat your breakfast!" She told them more as an order.

"What did you eat?" Meredith asked her removing the covers away from her.

"Pancakes and Frooty Loops!" Sandy answered with a grin on her face.

"Your favorite breakfast, huh?"

"Yes!"

"Are there any pancakes left for us?" Meredith asked her.

"No, because grandpa ate them all" and she gesticulated 'all' with exaggeration.

Derek laughed and stood up in his sit "Why don't you go and see what you can prepare us to eat so that we can leave sooner?"

Sandy nodded excited and hurried to go out on door.

"Ok, now that she is gone too, can I wake you up too?" Derek put an arm over Meredith's abdomen and laid her back down.

"Can you be less noisy and brutal than the previous persons?"

Derek rolled on top of her and let himself on her body "I can be very quiet…" he started with a kiss on her chin "and very gentle" continuing then to kiss her linger.

Meredith let her hands to run through his hair, enjoying their moment. "Mmm, this is much better!" She told him when he broke the kiss to catch up some air.

"Isn't it? And I can do more!" With a cheeky smile, he slipped a hand under her back and down in her trousers.

"How about Sandy's shopping?"

"I'll give her my credit card and I'll send her with one of the girls!" Derek was already kissing her neck in that moment.

"Would have the courage to send them alone to shopping with your credit card?"

"Yeah!" Derek gave her a short answer, not to keep his lips apart from her skin.

"You're a brave man, Derek!" Meredith giggled. "Brave, fool and very soon broke!"

Derek looked up at her; his eyes were reflecting the love he was having for Meredith. He gently brushed away the hair from her forehead and kissed it. "I know, but with all these you still love me, don't you?"

"Hmm, I am ok with the brave and fool characteristics, but broke? Umm … I don't know!"

"You're funny!" Derek ran a finger over lips and then he gently kissed them "I love you when you are funny!"

"And I love you when you are broke!"

"I know!" Derek chuckled and took her lips for another kiss.

"You two don't have a little shame? There are children in this house!" Kathleen yelled at them from the doorway.

Apparently, they forgot that Sandy had left their room and the door remained open.

Derek and Meredith pulled apart from each other; Derek annoyed by his sister's intrusion and Meredith embarrassed.

"Go away Kathleen!" Derek shouted at her.

"At least close the door!" Kathleen shouted back and slammed the door.

"Now I made a good impression to your sister!" Meredith looked over at Derek.

"She is just jealous! Probably on period and horny!"

"Derek!" Meredith nudged him laughing. "That was rude!"

Derek rolled over to face her and grabbed her chin with three fingers "That is my sister!" he kissed her again and then jumped out from bed. "Let's move in bathroom!" He told her offering her his hand.

Meredith stood up from bed, but hesitated to take it. "Why?"

"To continue in shower!"

"No Derek! I am not going to have sex with you in your parents' shower! What they will think about me?"

"They will think you are too crazy about me and you can stay too far from me!" Derek grabbed her hand and pulled her into him. "Now stop whining and let's have some fun!"

Meredith giggled and gave him a peck "We will have fun later on shopping!" She pushed him away and opened the closet to look for some clothes.

Derek didn't insist; he just shook his head smiling and did the exactly same thing as Meredith.

"So, I suppose you don't want to share the same bathroom!" Derek told her, with a little hope that she will change her mind.

"No!" Meredith knew what he was trying to do, so she patted his chest smiling and walked out on door "I'll go in the bathroom from hall and you can have the one from downstairs!"

"Fine!" Derek sighed and left the bedroom too.

--------------

Running out from her parents' room, Sandy went downstairs immediately, hurrying to get to kitchen. She wasn't able to remember which room was hers and which one was her parents', but she was already familiar with the rest of the house.

"Sandy, aren't painting with us anymore?" Carrie shouted when she saw Sandy passing by living room.

"No! I'm going to make the breakfast for mommy and daddy!" she shouted back without stopping from her track.

Carol was in nearby when she heard Sandy and hurried to go after her.

In kitchen was nobody else. After their grandma's twit, they decided to stay away from the others, not to get in any trouble.

Carol came in exactly when Sandy was opening the doors from a cabinet. She ran to her and pulled her away from there "No, no sweetie! You are not allowed to be here alone! I can make their breakfast, you are too little!"

Hearing that, Sandy felt very offended and took a pouted face. "I am not little! I am a big girl!"

Carol smiled amused and took her hand to lead her to table "I said that I can make their breakfast!"

"I'm not little, ask mommy!" Sandy continued to stay pouted.

"You can help if you want!"

Sandy smiled and jumped up from chair.

"What's going on here?" Helen walked in and went over to the cabinet that Sandy had previously opened, and opened it herself too.

"This young lady wants to prepare the breakfast for her parents!" Carol told her.

"I can help her and she can say that she made it!" Helen took out some bowls and placed them on counter.

"Ok then I'll leave you two alone!" Carol smiled and patted her mother's back.

"What do you think they would like to eat?" Helen looked down at Sandy.

"Pancakes and muffins!" Sandy answered fast with a big smile on her face.

"Really?" Helen chuckled and picked her up "This is what they want or what to do you want?" She asked her while she was placing her on counter.

Sandy smiled with mother's habit to bit her lower lip. "For them!"

Helen shook her head smiling and returned to cabinet to take out all the ingredients needed for their breakfast. "I'll make them just pancakes now because we don't have time for muffins!" She saw how Sandy sighed disappointed. "But we can make later!"

Sandy brought back the smile on her face and paid attention to everything that Helen was doing.

Helen put the ingredients in mixer with Sandy's help.

"I help daddy to make the dinner!" Sandy needed to brag a little.

"I heard and I can see that you are very talented in cooking!"

Sandy giggled happy to be complimented. "And I taught mommy to make chocolate chips!"

"Are you that good?" Helen asked her looking very impressed.

Sandy smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure they will love these pancakes!"

"Grandma?" Sandy asked after a while, when Helen had already started to make the first pancakes.

"What is it dear?" Helen was paying attention to her pan, not to burn the pancake.

"Do you have money?" Sandy put the question making it sound more like a whisper.

Helen looked back at table, where Sandy was sitting "I do have some money! Why?"

Sandy stood up from her seat and came over to her. She looked around as if she would have wanted to be sure that no one hears her and then she looked up at Helen. "Can you buy tickets for Addie and Izzie?"

Helen knew already very well who, Izzie, Addie and Christina were and she also knew very well the strong relationship between then and Sandy.

"Please don't tell mommy!" Sandy also needed to add to her pleading.

Helen moved the pan away from fire and wiped her hands. Then she bent down and picked Sandy up.

"I heard that they have to work a lot these days otherwise they would have come here! Maybe next year, sweetie!"

Sandy sighed disappointed and nodded. She knew there was no hope for them to be there with her on Christmas.

"Now don't stay pouted, you will have a lot of fun here with us and when you will go back to Seattle, you will tell them everything that you saw here!"

Sandy nodded and received a kiss from Helen. Helen put her down and told her to go back to table and set it up. Sandy did it, very happy to know herself helpful.

Her face lighted when she saw Derek and Meredith coming in together.

"Good morning Helen!" Meredith saluted her walking over to Sandy.

"Morning mom!" Derek kissed her and then returned to table.

"Morning it was two hours ago, but good morning!" She told them smiling and bringing them the pancakes.

Meredith stood up and came over to help her with those, taking them from her to put them on table.

"I helped her!" Sandy bragged proud at them.

"This why I am sure they are much tastier than usual!" Derek picked her up on his lap.

"Taste them!" Sandy took the fork and handed it to him.

Derek took the fork from her and stuck it in his pancakes. "Hmm… delicious!" He told her with a smirk. "Do you want some too?"

Sandy nodded and opened the mouth to receive the pieces from him.

Before sitting down on table, Helen grabbed Meredith's arm and took her aside.

"What is it?"

Helen looked at Sandy to make sure that she doesn't hear her, but Sandy was eating together with Derek giggling at his jokes.

"Sandy asked me if I have money!"

"What? Why?" Meredith asked her shocked.

"She wants me to buy airplane tickets for your friends!"

Meredith smiled shaking her head. "I'm sorry!"

"It's fine! I tried to explain her that they have to work, but you know Meredith, they can come here if they want; we have plenty room!"

"Thank you Helen, but they have to be at hospital for real! I'll talk to her again about this!"

Meredith joined the others for breakfast, while Helen left them alone in there.

Derek hit her leg under table. "Tell her!" He told her motioning to Sandy.

"You tell her!" Meredith shook her head refusing to do it.

"Meredith!"

"No!"

Sandy looked at them confused. "What?" She asked seeing that nobody wants to say what is to say and obviously, it was about her.

"Tell her, Meredith!"

Meredith looked dirty at Derek and sighed.

"Sandy, sweetie, Derek and I will go out tonight, so we want you to stay here with grandma and your cousins.

"Where are you going?" She looked at each of them. "Can I come?"

Meredith looked Derek for some help, but Derek just shrugged clueless.

"Mommy, where are you going?" Sandy repeated the question seeing that none of them wants to give her an answer.

"We are going to meet some of your daddy's friends!"

Derek looked at Meredith amused by her idea, but in exchange, he received back a glare from her.

"Can I come?" Sandy questioned them.

"No, you can't, because there will be only grown-ups and you will get bored!" Meredith hoped that this explication would satisfy Sandy's curiosity.

"You will come back, right?"

"Of course we'll come back! We will be back late, but grandma will put you in bed and you have to promise me that you will listen to her!"

"Ok mommy! I promise!" Sandy nodded and seemed satisfied with the explications from her mother. She took the fork from Derek's hand, who was paying attention to their talk, and took another piece from his pancakes.

"Liar!" Derek mouthed almost laughing at Meredith.

"Shut up!" Meredith replied with a glare.

--------------

Helen and Kathleen guessed the plans of the older children and tried to explain them, that Derek and Meredith will take only Sandy for a town tour and to make some shopping. None of their explications convinced them to give up and everybody protested, making in the end their parents to surrender.

Kathleen and Nancy saw themselves forced to go with them, to supervise the credit card that David borrowed them.

Even from the first store, Sandy fell in love with some dresses and skirts. For her enjoyment, Meredith joined her and helped her to try them on, guiding her then to make a small parade together with Carrie for Derek and Nancy, who were in the same shop with them.

Derek convinced Meredith to let Sandy choose whatever she wants from there, promising to her that this was the only time when he will spoil her. Meredith agreed to give her this joy.

At the cash register, Meredith helped Sandy to put all the clothes and shoes on counter, so that the sales lady can register them.

"These make 763 dollars and 72cents!" The lady told them as she was folding the clothes to put them in bags.

Meredith looked amused at Derek, who was a little shocked by Sandy's vim on shopping. With all these, he took out the credit card and handed it to the sales lady.

"Derek, what are you doing?" Nancy reacted immediately seeing that he is actually going to pay for all those things.

"What? It's my fault! I brought her into an expensive store and tell her that she can by whatever she wants!"

"She is right, Derek! It's too much!" Meredith wasn't very happy with this either.

"Hey, calm down! Both of you!" Derek looked at them serious. "These are my money and she is my daughter, and my daughter … is priceless!" he smiled and picked Sandy up in his arms.

Sandy had listened to their argument with a little fear, knowing that her mother has the last word, but seeing Derek determined not to listen to her this time, she was in the 9th heaven. Her face was glowing from the huge smile she was having imprinted on her face. She wrapped the arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you, daddy!" She sure knew how to show her gratitude. "I love you!"

"I love you too baby!" Derek kissed her both cheeks and then he put her down so that he can take the credit card back.

"You agreed Meredith to spoil her today!" Derek told her smiling and handing her Sandy's shopping bags.

Meredith rolled her eyes amused and they waited for Nancy to pay for Carrie's stuff too.

Sandy and Carrie were walking in front of them and Meredith and Nancy were walking at Derek's arms.

"You should not let him spoil her too much, Meredith, because you will have many troubles with her later!"

"I'm not! But she is a good kid and she deserves to be spoiled from time to time!"

Derek put an arm around her waist and pulled her to him to kiss her cheek. "She will never forget this trip, I can assure you!"

Meredith kissed him back smiling and followed the girls to another store.

Of course, Sandy, Carrie and Mia realized that they don't have the proper dress for the Christmas day, so Derek offered himself to pay for those too. Those dresses needed matching shoes and accessories like belts and socks. Derek didn't comment and paid for them.

-----------------

"Now I think that you need a dress too!" Derek smirked at Meredith as they were passing by a store's window with a few nice dresses.

"Are you sure we are going to be able to go out tonight? Because you and Sandy bought me a dress, which I didn't have the chance to wear it yet!"

Derek just smiled and hurried to catch Sandy's hand, who was still walking in front of them together with her cousins. "Sandy, mommy needs your help to buy a dress!"

"Ok" Sandy nodded happy and stopped to give a look around. She saw a dress in one of the stores' windows. "That one mommy!" she pointed to it.

"Prada?!" Meredith looked at Derek.

"She is a girl with style! Let's go!" Derek smiled and grabbed her hand.

They left Nancy and the others to go in another store, and they walked in the one that Sandy had spotted the dress.

Inside, Sandy's eyes grew huge seeing all those dresses and immediately she forgot about the dress from window.

She chose for her mommy a few and Meredith tried them all, but just one got Derek and Sandy breathless.

"You would better take me out tonight, if you don't want to feel sorry after your money!" Meredith leaned on Derek and kissed him.

"I feel lucky today, so don't worry!" Derek kissed her back and handed the cashier his credit card.

"We do have to buy something for Addie, Izzie and Christina!" Meredith said looking down at Sandy, who was admiring a pair of shoes.

"What do we have to buy them?" Sandy asked clueless.

"I don't know! You should be the one who chooses their presents!" Meredith told them.

Sandy took a few moments to think and looked around her to the other dresses. "Dresses?" Sandy looked up at Meredith.

Meredith looked over at Derek, who was terrified by the thought to buy another three dresses from Prada.

"Let's find something else but dresses!" Meredith told her and took her hand to walk outside together.

"How about a perfume?" Sandy asked her.

"Yeah a perfume is much better! I am sure they will love it!"

"And much cheaper!" Derek said as a joke.

Meredith slapped his arm playfully and grabbed it to come with them.

-----------------

"Now which one should we choose, mommy?"

Sandy asked her in front of a window with many bottles of perfume in it.

"I like the egg-shaped one!" Sandy pointed to one of those bottles.

"Let's try a few and will see which ones are the best!"

For Derek's exasperation, it took them more than 30 minutes to decide over the perfumes that would match for their friends.

They chose a lime blossom scent for Christina, an orchid & mimosa one for Izzie and a magnolia scent for Addison.

Then they went to buy a new angel for Sandy's Christmas tree. Sandy was fascinated all the Christmas ornaments she saw in there. She immediately fell in love with a small angel who was holding a small colorful Christmas tree.

"Do you like this one, mommy?" Sandy asked from her mother's arms, pointing down to it.

"It's beautiful!"

"I want this one!" Sandy looked at her and nodded to sustain her decision.

"I like this one too!" Meredith showed her another angel, dressed in a white dress, with pink wings and a yellow star in its hand.

"I like it too, but…" Sandy hesitated to put the question.

Meredith smiled knowing what she was thinking. "We can buy them both!"

Sandy smiled happy and cuddled her face in Meredith's neck.

"We'll buy these two!" Meredith told the salesman, taking out this time her credit card.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing?" Derek took the card from her.

"Please Derek; the angels are out thing and I really want to buy them for her!" Meredith extended the hand to him waiting for him to return her the credit card. Derek gave it back to her and kissed her. "You should make some savings, because this is just our second day here!"

Derek chuckled and put an arm around her waist. "No worries Meredith, no worries!"

"Mommy, look!" Sandy was having her eyes on an 11 inches Santa, who was moving his arms up and down, holding in one of it the bag with gifts.

"You have a bigger one home, Sandy!"

"But I don't have one here!" Sandy smiled trickily at her mommy.

"Fine, I guess we can buy this one too!"

"Thank you, mommy!" Sandy rewarded her with a kiss.

"She is a very convincing young lady!" The salesman said amused seeing how easy she got what she wanted.

"Tell us about it!" Meredith smiled at him. "We'll take the Santa too!"

The man wrapped the angels and Santa in paper and put them into a bag.

"Merry Christmas!" He handed the bag to Sandy.

Sandy took it and thanked him politely.

"I think we should put an end to our shopping session!" Derek told them checking his watch.

"Are you broke already?" Meredith giggled teasing him.

"Broke and hungry!" Derek smiled and gave her a kiss.

"Can we come tomorrow too?" Sandy asked them.

"Tomorrow morning will leave to Southampton, but maybe on our way back home, we can make one last stop here!" Derek told her winking.

Meredith just shook her head and walked out from that store.

Outside, Derek put the shopping bags down and took out his cell phone. During those almost three hours that they had spent at shopping, Nancy, Kathleen and the rest of the kids split from them, so he had to call them and meet them somewhere.

After about 15 minutes, they met to a restaurant. They all came whining because Derek called them so early.

"Shut up Nancy, I am trying to save dad's money!" Derek smiled at her.

"You are funny, little brother! I am sure dad will be very proud of you!"

Derek smiled and stood up "Let's go! I am starving!"

Sandy, as most of them, was a little exhausted, so she requested to be carried in arms. Derek was the one who picked her up and Meredith carried the bags.

At home, Helen was waiting them with the lunch, so everyone got ready for it very fast.

"So how poor I am now?" David asked them taking a seat on table.

"David, stop! When you gave them the credit card, you knew what to expect from!" Helen told him to tease him.

"Don't worry dad, I am poorer than you!" Derek laughed referring at the amount of money that Sandy had spent.

His little joke disturbed Meredith, who hardly abstained not to snap at him.

Nancy noticed that and motioned him to look at Meredith.

Derek saw from her moves that she was angry, so he put a hand over her arm and leaned to her to kiss her.

Meredith looked up at him and gave him a slight smile.

The meal was rather quiet, since most of them were too exhausted and too hungry to talk.

Because Derek had already told her about their visit in Central Park, Sandy refused to go to nap and begged him and her mommy to go now.

-----------------

Derek pulled the car in front of the main entrance to Central Park and got out of the car. Meredith helped Sandy to get off and tight her jacket.

"I'm hot mommy!" Sandy protested trying to remove her mother's hands from her.

"It's cold outside, so you have to keep the jacket closed!" Meredith fixed her cap and the scarf and took her hand.

"Ok, now that we are all ready we should go first and see the Strawberry fields!" Derek looked down at Sandy with a smirk.

"Really?" Sandy gasped of excitement.

Derek and Meredith looked at each other smiling, knowing what she was thinking of.

They took her hands and started to walk through park. The weather was chill, sunny, but and the wind was blowing slowly; it smelled like snow a little, but there was no sign of it. This didn't pass unnoticed by Sandy.

"We don't have snow here, mommy!" She said looking around her.

"The forecast announced snow for Christmas, so let's not lose our hope, ok?"

Sandy answered her with a shrug and a disappointed sigh.

"I want to skate, mommy! You promised we'll go skating!"

"We can go in Southampton to skating rink, Sandy! We'll all go to skate!"

Sandy looked up at Derek smiling; this cheered her up a little.

"But do you know how to skate?" Derek asked her.

"No! Mommy will teach me!" Sandy moved her look from Derek to Meredith "Right mommy?"

"That's right sweetie!" Meredith confirmed with a nod.

"But do you know how to skate, mommy?" Derek asked her smiling.

"I don't! But do you?"

"I don't know either!" Derek chuckled. "There will be many left feet on that skating rink!"

"Yeah, we should rent it for ourselves to make sure that we don't hurt anybody!" Meredith continued with the joke about their skating skills.

"Where is that field?" Sandy looked up at Derek.

"We are almost there! Have you ever been in New York?" Derek asked Meredith.

"I did, twice! First when I was in high school! I made a trip with some friends here and the second time, hmm…. I think it was three years ago when I came to a conference!"

"Oh, let me guess, you came for that conference about …..!"

"Yeah, why?" Meredith asked suspicious.

"Because I was there too! Now I know why you looked so familiar when I first met you in park! I had a crush on you since then!"

Meredith was having now a huge smile on her face. "Really?"

"You don't believe me?"

Meredith shrugged smiling.

"You were wearing a blue short sleeve shirt, a black skirt and some black shoes that seemed very uncomfortable!"

Meredith looked at him shocked. "I don't remember what I wore in that day, but I do remember those horrible shoes!"

"See? You know there is a song that says… umm… 'I knew I loved you before I met you'!"

"Aww, how sweet of you!"

Derek took Sandy's hand with his left one for a moment, to be able to pull Meredith to him with the other. He reached for her lips and kissed her properly. This caused some stumbles to their walk and unpleased Sandy.

"Stop" She demanded them stopping and letting their hands go.

Meredith and Derek smiling in each other's mouth and pulled apart. They took back Sandy's hands and continued their walk.

Derek turned left and entered on an alley.

"Here it is the Strawberry Fields!" Derek informed Sandy.

"Here?" Sandy asked curious looking around her.

They stopped so that Sandy can analyze the surroundings; both of them new what her reaction will be.

"And where are the strawberries?" she asked confused, still trying to find with her look her favorite fruits.

Meredith and Derek started to laugh, which made Sandy to look confused at them. Derek kneeled down at her. "There are no strawberries here; it is called like this after a song, _"Strawberry Fields Forever"._ Do you know who sings this song?"

"No" Sandy answered disappointed and obviously uninterested to find out. "Where are we going now?" She asked them anxious to leave from there.

Derek looked up at Meredith smiling and stood up taking Sandy's hand. "Let's continue our walk to see what else we find around here!"

"But no more fake fields, ok?" Meredith told him giggling.

"No more fake fields, I promise!" Derek looked at her laughing.

Derek picked Sandy up in his arms to be able to walk faster, so that they can have time to visit everything they had planned.

A bronze sculpture caught Sandy's interest.

"What is that?" She asked pointing to that sculpture. A girl sitting on a huge mushroom with some other characters around her.

"That one is Alice, from _"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland!"_ Derek explained her. "Do you know the story?"

Sandy shook her head. "No, tell me the story!"

"She doesn't know the story?" Derek asked Meredith surprised.

"I told you I never liked this story, so I forgot about it!" Meredith excused herself with an innocent look.

"Don't worry Sandy, maybe Santa will bring you this book and then we'll read it together!"

"Ok"

They took many photos together, at that statue and at other sights from that park. Most of them were of Meredith and Sandy's or with Sandy alone, since Derek was enjoying playing with the camera.

Because it was getting late and they had to be home in time to get ready for their night, Meredith and Derek didn't mention anything to Sandy about the Zoo. They knew, they wouldn't get her out of there anytime soon, so they decided their last stop in Central Park to be the playground.

When they got there, Derek put her down and immediately Sandy ran to catch a free swing. Meredith helped her up in swing and let Derek to push her. Of course, she wasn't very excited when she saw how slow Derek was pushing her; at first she was demanding him to go faster, but after a few twits from her mother, Sandy changed her tone into a pleading.

Even if Derek pushed her harder, she was still not very satisfied, so soon she asked him to stop.

She found a couple of kids around her age and made them her friends. Derek took care to record her every laugh and jump on his camera.

"Sandy, it's getting late! Do you want to take a ride in carousel before going home?"

Sandy came running to her mother and nodded. Meredith fixed one more time her scarf and cap, but because she was already hot from all her motion, she started to argue again with her mother.

"If you won't keep the cap on head, then you'll spend the Christmas in bed sick!" Meredith told her trying to keep her still.

"She is right Sandy!"

"But I am hot!" Sandy whined at them.

"You won't be soon, I promise! Now let's choose a horse!" Meredith took her hand and leaded her to carousel.

Derek helped her to choose one and then to mount it. The carousel started to spin, at begin slower, then faster and faster.

"Mommy, daddy!" Sandy was screaming from her horse, each time she was passing by them, trying to get their attention.

They were watching her from a bench and each time she was in front of them, they were waving at her.

"She will never forget this trip!" Derek said keeping the camera fixed on her.

"How can she forget her first vacation?" Meredith said looking happy at her.

"What do you mean by her first vacation? You never took her somewhere on holidays?" Derek put the camera down for a moment and looked surprised at her.

"Her parents were always busy, and they didn't have enough time to take her out somewhere, and I… I work a lot and since I got her, I had at first to get used with this new role of mother."

Derek wrapped his arm around hers and leaned on her to kiss her. "Poor girl!"

Meredith looked at him and returned his kiss "This is my first vacation too after more than 10 years… I think!"

"Aww, poor you!" Derek lifted up her chin and gave her soft kiss on lips "Then I am glad to be the first one who offered you a real vacation."

"Thank you, Derek! Everything has been perfect so far, so perfect that I am a little scared of what could come next."

Derek saw on her happy a face a shade of worry as she was saying all those things. "It can't come anything else but great moments for us!"

"We still have to meet your other sister, Liz and her family!"

Derek took her hand in his and kissed it. "Liz will love you too so don't worry!"

Meredith nodded unconfident and looked over at Sandy, who was enjoying her ride as much as possible.

"How do you think she will accept another baby in our family?" Derek asked her looking at Sandy.

"I don't know! I never thought about this! She likes to share her toys with other kids, even to offer them as gifts… it's true that she regrets it after."

"I wasn't referring at this! How do you think she will accept to share us with a little brother or sister?"

"I don't know, Derek, but I guess that we can try to see while we are here! With Carrie and Mia!"

Derek looked at her smiling. "That's a great idea!"

"But how will share your love for Sandy and your child?" That question wasn't present in her mind, but it was present deep down her soul since Derek proposed her. She didn't know how she let it slip out, but now it was out and she was waiting for Derek's reaction.

Derek turned off the camera and turned to Meredith. He put an arm around her shoulders and with his other hand he rubbed gently her cheek. "Sandy is my first child; I missed her birth, but so did you and you she is still going to be your first baby; our first baby, Meredith!"

"Thank you" Meredith told him with a slight smile, trying not to let herself overwhelmed by his words.

Derek pulled her into his arms. "No! I have to thank you for changing my life!" He approached his lips to hers and slowly caught them into a long and sensual kiss.

They didn't know for sure how long their moment lasted, but probably long enough since Sandy was already in front of them.

"Don't do that!" she pleaded them seeing them kissing again.

Meredith and Derek laughed and pulled apart.

"She doesn't even stand to see us sharing each other!" Meredith told him amused and picked Sandy up on her lap. "Did you have fun sweetie?"

"Yes mommy, but now I am tired! Can we go home?" she asked her rubbing her eyes.

"Don't rub your eyes with the hands dirty, baby!" Meredith took her fists away from her eyes and pulled Sandy's head to rest on her. "We are going home now!"

Meredith carried her all the way to their car.

"Can we comeback here tomorrow?" Sandy asked them as her head was resting on Meredith's shoulder.

"Tomorrow no, but we will on our way back home!" Derek explained her.

Sandy seemed satisfied with his assurance and continued to rest in silence in her mother's arms.

The ride back home was quiet too. Sandy wasn't sleeping, but she was too exhausted to talk. Not even the Statue of Liberty could impress her.

"I want to snow!" she said quietly at one point looking out on window.

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other; this was one of her resolutions.

"I am sure we'll have snow very soon baby and we'll go skating and we'll make snowmen!" Meredith looked back at her smiling to cheer her up a little.

Sandy looked at her with a big smile on her face and then she looked back on window. "I can't wait!"

Pulling the car in front of the house, Helen came out right away to greet them. She came over to Sandy and opened the door to help her out.

"How was the trip sweetie? Did you like the Statue?" Helen asked her as she was helping to get out from her seatbelt. She was referring of course at the Statue of Liberty, knowing how excited she was to see it.

"I did and daddy said that maybe Santa will bring me the book and we'll read the story together!"

Helen looked puzzled at Meredith and Derek.

"Sandy is talking about the statue she saw in Central Park and about "Alice's adventures in Wonderland"!"

"Oh I see! I guessed you liked the walk, didn't you?" Helen asked her taking her hand and walking with her back in house.

"Mom" Derek called her and made her stop and look back at him "Don't tell her about the Zoo!" he told her in whisper to make sure that Sandy doesn't hear him.

But she did hear him.

"What Zoo?" she looked up at her grandma and then back at her parents. "There was a Zoo?" she asked them with a mixture of a disappointment and anger.

Derek hurried to reach them and took her hand "It was a Zoo, but it was closed! Don't worry, we'll visit it next time!"

"Ok" Sandy dropped the subject and followed them inside.

"Mommy, let's call Addie to see if Santa took my letter!" Sandy was looking up at her mother, while Helen was helping her to take off the street clothes.

Meredith put clean clothes on bed next to her and took the dirty ones from Helen. "We'll call right away!"

Meredith took out the cell phone from her purse and dialed a number.

"_Hello"_

"Hi Addison, Meredith here!"

"_Hi Mer! How's the trip?"_

"Mommy, I want to talk to her!" Sandy jumped out of the bed and came to her extending her arms up to her.

"Everything is great, but hold on a second, someone wants to talk to you! Here you go, Sandy!" Meredith handed her the cell phone.

"Addie!"

"_Hey baby, how are you doing?"_

"I'm doing fun Addie! Did Santa take my letter?"

"_We checked this morning and the letter was gone, so Santa already took it!"_

"Yay! Addie??"

"_Yes Sandy, what is it?"_

"I miss you!"

"_Aww, I miss you too Sandy, but I am sure that you are having a lot of fun there with your cousins!"_

"I am! Carrie and Mia are very nice and today we went shopping and I bought many things! I have a white dress with a bunny on it, it's very pretty and I bought a perfume that smells like strawberries! Do you know what I bought for you? I bought you a …"

Meredith covered her mouth immediately with her hand to make her stop "Don't tell her now, Sandy! Let's surprise them when we get back, ok?"

Just when Sandy nodded, Meredith took the hand away from her mouth.

"I can't tell you Addie, it's a surprise!"

"_It's ok Sandy! I can't wait to see your surprise!"_ Addison chuckled amused hearing Sandy's excitement.

"You know what grandma told me?"

"_What did she tell you?"_

"She told me that you, Izzie and Christina can come next year here with us!"

Meredith looked at Helen, who nodded at her.

"_We'll have to wait and see, now tell me what else did you do there so far! Did you see the Statue of Liberty?"_

"I did! We were in park to carousel, we visited the Strawberry Fields, but there were no strawberries there!" She told her about that with a disappointed voice.

"_How come?"_ Addison asked her amused. She knew what Sandy was talking about, but she wanted to hear her version.

"It is called like this after a song!" Sandy explained her with a serious tone.

"_I see! How silly to name it like that if there are no strawberries!"_ Addison was not playing alone with her.

"That's right!" Sandy approved her happy that someone agreed with her on that.

"_I can't wait to see all your new clothes and to show me photos! Be a good girl for mommy and daddy and we'll talk again on Christmas to tell me what Santa brought you!"_

"Ok! Bye Addie! Kiss Izzie and Christina!"

"_Do I receive a kiss too?"_

"Of course you do Addie!" Sandy giggled and kissed noisy the cell phone twice. "Two kisses for you!"

"_Thank you baby, I will send them your kiss! And here you have three kisses for me!"_ Addison copied Sandy gesture sending her noisy kisses through phone.

"Four from me!" Sandy had started to have fun with the kissing on phone.

"I think it's enough Sandy!" Meredith took the cell phone from her. "You two spitted enough at each other!"

"I want to tell her bye, mommy!" Sandy protested refusing to let the cell phone from her hand.

"Ok, tell her bye, but no more kisses!"

Sandy put the phone back to ear. "Bye Addie! I miss you!"

"_Bye sweetie! Now give me mommy to talk to her too!"_

"Addie wants to talk to you!" Sandy handed her the cell phone.

"Thank you! Now go and get dressed and Helen, let her dress herself because she is a big girl!" She told Helen, who was still there with them. "Hi again Addison!"

"_Hello again Mer! I can see that you are having lots of fun there!"_

"We do, but sometimes we remember you and we get sad!" Meredith told her referring at Sandy's regret that they aren't there with them.

"_She has to get used without us!"_

"I know and I think we are going to have a problem with this!"

"_Now tell me, how broke is Derek now?"_

Meredith giggled. "Very broke, but very happy to be broke!"

"_Are you happy now?"_

"I am! For now!"

"_Don't worry, I am sure that everything will be perfect until the end of your visit!" _

"I hope so!"

"_Tomorrow you are going to leave at Southampton?" _

"Yeah, early in the morning!"

"_More fun, less worry, ok?"_

"Ok! Say hello to the others! I am not sending you or them kisses, because Sandy did it for me!"

[_"I will"_ Addison laughed. _"Enjoy your vacation!"_

"Thanks! Bye Addie!"

"_Bye Mer!"_

While Meredith was talking to Addison, Sandy changed her clothes. When Meredith put the phone down, Sandy came to her and wrapped her arms around her legs looking up at her.

"What is it sweetie?" Meredith asked her running her hand through her hair.

"Can I come with you to dinner?"

Meredith picked her up and went over to bed with her. She put her down and then she went to take her hairbrush and some clips.

"I told you it will be boring! Wouldn't like to stay here and play with Carrie and Mia? Grandpa is going to tell you another story before bedtime"

Meredith started to brush her hair and gather it into a ponytail.

"We'll find us here tomorrow morning when you wake up!"

"Ok mommy!" Sandy sighed disappointed.

"Sandy, Mia and I are starting a puzzle, do you want to come?" Carrie sneaked her head in their bedroom.

"I'm coming!" Sandy wanted to jump, but because Meredith was still holding her hair, she was pulled back. "Ouch mommy!"

"Wait a second Sandy and then you can go!" Meredith arranged her a few clips to keep back the rebel strands. "Go now!" Meredith put her down and let her run out to play.

Nancy helped Meredith to put the dress on and the make up, while Derek was getting ready in his parents' room.

-----------------

Rebecca and Mike came in the room, where the little girls were playing, and took a seat down on floor around them.

Mia was the older than Sandy and Carrie, therefore she was a little more wiser than them; of course she also knew her cousins better.

"What do you want?" Mia asked them, when she saw them sitting down.

"We wanted to see how are you doing and maybe to play together with you" Rebecca told her.

Now a first proof that Mia wasn't stupid. "Why?" She asked them knowing that they don't like to play with them.

"We are bored and we thought that maybe we are going to have more fun with you!" Mike justified their presence there.

"Go and play with your games!" Mia shooed them without even looking up at them.

Rebecca and Mike looked at each other, and Rebecca motioned him not to give up.

"What story is this?" She asked Sandy, trying in this way to avoid Mia's suspicions.

"It's Snow White!" Sandy answered her without suspecting anything.

"Nice!" Rebecca said and looked down at their huge puzzle sheet.

After a few minutes, while both, Rebecca and Mike stood there in silence looking at them.

"Who would like to eat a cheese pie?" Rebecca finally asked them.

Helen's cheese pie was the best and everyone, except Sandy for now, was drooling just thinking on it.

Mia was right when she suspected them for suspicious intentions, but with all these, she let herself fooled too by them this time.

"I want!" Carrie and Mia said in unison.

Sandy didn't say anything.

"Grandma makes a very delicious cheese pie, Sandy!" Mike tried to catch her too in their plan.

"I want too!" Sandy confirmed into a final.

"Then why don't you go and ask grandma to make us some?" Rebecca said looking at them.

The three girls nodded and stood up right away and ran to kitchen, where Helen was in that moment.

Rebecca gave Mike a smirk and waited for them there to come back.

-----------------

Helen saw the girls coming in and all three of them looking like they would have wanted something.

"Grandma" Carrie started first.

"What is it?" Helen asked them.

"We want cheese pie!" Carried answered her.

"Cheese pie? All three of you?"

"And Rebecca and Mike!" Sandy said fast, but very innocent.

Helen shook her head smiling.

"What would you say if instead of cheese pie I will make you three hot chocolates with some cookies?"

The girls nodded happy.

"But just for you three!"

The girls agreed with a nod and took a seat on table.

Derek came in kitchen, very fancy dressed in his dark suit, over the white shirt and wearing a necktie.

"Daddy you look pretty!" Sandy stood up from her chair and went to him.

Derek picked her up and kissed her. "Am I handsome?" he asked her.

At his question, Helen groaned amused.

"You are very handsome!" Sandy complimented him with a kiss.

"You look handsome uncle Derek!"

"Yeah!"

Mia and Carrie confirmed.

"Thank you girls!" Derek gave each of them a kiss on head and put Sandy back down to her place. "What are you all doing here?"

"The other are using them to get a cheese pie, but to give them a lesson, just the girls will receive a small dessert!"

Derek shook his head amused; he knew too about the older ones' tricks.

"I have to check if Meredith is ready!" Derek told Helen checking his watch. "We have to go soon!"

"Why don't you take Sandy with you? I am sure she will love to see the town during the night."

When Helen said that, Sandy looked up at them smiling. "I want to come!"

Right in that moment, Meredith, Nancy and David walking in kitchen.

"I'm ready, Derek!" Meredith told him now knowing yet what Helen's suggestion had produced.

"I want to come with you mommy!" Sandy left again her seat and ran to her.

"I told you can't come, Sandy! Didn't you agree to stay here with Carrie and Mia?"

"Take her with you, I am sure she will enjoy a night out with her parents!"

Meredith looked at Helen panicked, then at Derek.

"Mom please! We said we can't take her with us tonight!"

"Helen stop!" David also interfered. "Come Sandy, we'll have a lot of fun this night while mommy and daddy will be out!" he bent down to her trying to convince her to give up.

"No, I want to go with them!" Sandy adopted a crying tone. "Please mommy, take me with you!"

Meredith lost her hope and she and Derek understood then, that they won't have a first date.

"Let's get you ready fast then!" Meredith took her hand sighing and walking out from kitchen.

"Thanks mom!" Derek glared Helen and followed Meredith out.

"What did I do?" Helen asked confused.

"Oh not much, you have just ruined their first date!" David told her shaking his head disappointed.

"Why didn't anybody tell me about this?" Helen looked at David and Nancy.

"You knew that Derek planned a dinner for Meredith, mom!"

"I'll go and try to convince Sandy to stay home!" Helen hurried out from there.

-----------------

Sandy started to take off her clothes, while Meredith took out one her new dresses. Sandy requested the blue navy one with long sleeves and a matching belt.

Derek came to them, and took a seat on bed watching them how they were hurrying.

"I am sorry Mer!" Derek looked at her a little disappointed.

"It's fine! Maybe some other time!" Meredith smiled slight and helped Sandy to get in her dress.

Helen walked in ashamed. "I am sorry Meredith, Derek! Are you sure, you don't want to stay with us, Sandy? We are going to bake cookies together."

"No" Sandy shook her head and everyone knew that nothing will make her change her mind.

"It's fine Helen! It's too late now!"

"I am really, really sorry!"

"Don't worry mom, we'll have fun with her too. As Meredith said, it's too late now!"

-----------------

Their waiter greeted them and leaded them somewhere in a more private area, where they had prepared a table for two with a very romantic atmosphere. A floral arrangement had been set in the middle of the table with a couple of candles around it.

"Can you please bring us one more chair and one more flatware?" Derek asked the waiter. "We have one guest with us!" he told him referring at Sandy.

"Of course! Right away sir!"

The waiter leaded them to their table and held the chair for Meredith to sit down. Derek took Sandy up on his lap to hold her until the waiter will bring them one more chair.

The waiter returned fast with the chair, while another one brought one more flatware.

Derek put Sandy down between him and Meredith and then they ordered their food.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Sandy asked her mother more as in whisper.

Meredith looked up at Derek smiling.

"We'll tell them to turn it on!" Derek told her.

The waiter brought them the food and the beverages and Derek told him to turn on the light.

"Aren't we waiting for your friends?" Sandy asked Derek, seeing that they were about to start eating soon.

She was still too young, but her mother taught her that they have to wait for everybody to gather on table before start eating.

Derek looked at Meredith not knowing what to say to her.

"Sandy sweetie…" Meredith was the one who tried to explain her; she glanced Derek and then she took a deep breath. "We lied to you!"

"Why?" Sandy looked at them hurt. "You told me it's not nice to lie!" she looked at her mommy reproof.

"It's true and we are very ashamed that we lied to you! We won't do it again!" Meredith excused herself.

"She is right, Sandy! We promise we won't lie to you again!"

Sandy was very disappointed and all her good mood had disappeared.

"You didn't want to take me with you!" Sandy got to a sad conclusion.

Derek and Meredith put aside for good the fact that their first date was ruined and now they were trying to repair the mistake they had made hurting Sandy's feelings.

Meredith stood up from her seat and moved to Sandy's. She picked her up and took her seat placing her then on her lap.

"Mommy and daddy wanted to spend this evening alone; just the two of us!"

"Why?" Sandy was still not very happy with what she was hearing.

This question puzzled Meredith and looked up at Derek. "Help me here Derek!"

Derek smiled and moved his chair closer to them. "Do you know when mommy and I are kissing and you don't like to see us?"

Sandy answered him with a nod.

"Well, this evening we wanted to be alone so that we can kiss without bothering you!"

This made Meredith to keep her laugh back with difficulty.

Derek looked up at her with satisfied smirk.

"I will close my eyes when you want to kiss!"

They found Sandy's solution so cute that they could abstained not to kiss her.

"We promise that we won't kiss too often!" Derek joked.

During the dinner, Sandy told them everything she liked so far from their walk through New York and how much she loves Carrie, Mia and her grandparents.

Derek kept his promise and didn't kiss Meredith to often, but each time he was doing it, Sandy was covering her eyes not see them. They were making a lot of fun upon her gestures, from time to time teasing her with repetitive kisses.

Because the entire walk from that day got her powerless, Sandy asked them if they can go home, skipping like this over dessert.

Derek paid for their dinner and then he picked Sandy up on his arms carrying her like this to car. He put her in the backseats and tied her seatbelt.

"Can we consider this our first date?" Meredith asked him, when he got in car too.

Derek leaned to her and kissed her "No!" he tied his seatbelt and turned on the ignition. "We can consider this a date, but not our first date!" he gave her a glance smiling.

"Ok, so it was a date, but it wasn't our first date?!" Meredith asked him curious.

"Well, it was my first date with two of the most beautiful girls from Manhattan, but I still have to get a date with you only!"

Meredith looked back at Sandy and seeing her sleepy and paying attention out on window, she leaned on Derek kissed his cheek "Are you trying to make me forget that you weren't capable to take me out only?"

"Is it working?" Derek asked her smiling.

"No!"

"Then I'll try harder later!" Derek looked at her with a suggestive smirk and took her hand in his and kissed it.

-----------------

Derek stopped the car in front of the house and saw that the lights were still on. Sandy had fallen asleep on her seat, so Meredith took her out on her arms.

In house they found only the grown-ups still awake and very curious to see how their date went.

"Let me take her up to her bed!" Helen came over to them to take Sandy from Meredith.

"It's fine! I would like to put her in bed by myself, thanks!" Meredith motioned her that she will go upstairs. "She is too exhausted so I am very sure that she will sleep in her on bed tonight!"

Meredith walked towards stairs and slowly she climbed them out.

"So? How did it go?" David asked Derek, who was still in living room with the others.

"Not as I planned, but I enjoyed it!"

"I am so sorry Derek!" Helen came to him and gave him a hug to apologize for ruining their night.

"It's ok mom! I told you it was still a very pleasant night!"

"Is she mad of me?" Helen asked him.

"Who? Meredith?"

"Yes"

"No, of course she is not! We enjoyed the night with our daughter!"

"It's so weird to hear you saying that word!" Carol told him.

"It was weird for me at beginning, but I got used with it very fast and so you will! Now excuse me, I am going upstairs, because I am broke… financial and physical!" he told them joking.

"Good night Derek!"

-----------------

Derek went first to see if Sandy was already in bed, and when he got in her room, he found Meredith tucking her in already.

He came to her bed and bent down to kiss her good night too, and then he took Meredith's waist and leaded her out.

"Do you want to shower with me?" Meredith asked him with a cheeky smile, when they got in their room.

Derek wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, "Do you have the dare to do it in my parents' bathroom?"

"I do! Do you?" Meredith asked him in the same naughty manner, unbuttoning his shirt.

"You bet I do!" Derek kissed her and took her hand to lead her to bathroom.

**----------------------------------------------**

**How did you find this one? Personally, I like it, but I wrote it so my opinion is not so important. I do have to say that one of my favorite parts from this chapter, was their visit to the **_**Strawberry Fields**_****** and of course Sandy and Addison's kisses on phone. **

**And yes… Meredith and Derek still didn't have their first date, but I will have a special chapter for that one.**

**What else can I say… I hope you enjoyed reading it and I still have you waiting for the next chapter, which once again, I am not sure when will be ready.**

**Please review!**

34


	15. NY, Day3 An angel is waiting for Santa

**N/A: A new chapter is here. I apologize for this delay, but once again this is a long chapter. The longest so far! I hope you will like it. If you will, then please review!**

**Thank you!**

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 14**

**NY, Day 3- An Angel is waiting for Santa**

Derek leaned his head down to Meredith, who was sleeping right next to him. He let a soft kiss over her lips and a soft caress along her cheek.

Meredith moaned by the feeling of his touch and rolled over to snug into him.

"What time is it?" She asked murmuring sleepy as her face was rubbing against his bare chest.

"It's 7:30, so we have to wake up!" he whispered, not wanting to disturb too much her comfort.

"Two more minutes please!" Meredith cried as she moved his arm over her waist to convince him stay with her longer.

Derek didn't unlike her gesture; he actually sneaked his other arm under her neck and took her legs between his, making that way a more intimate contact. "If you ask me so nice" he chuckled and rested his chin over her head.

Meredith giggled and raised her head a little to kiss his chin, still keeping the eyes closed.

Derek wasn't sleepy anymore, but he loved to hold her like that and to feel her entire bare body against his. After her quick kiss, Meredith hided her face back in his chest, so Derek started to run his hand through her hair, brushing it and spreading her strands along the pillow and over the shoulder, smoothing it over her collarbone.

Meredith was smiling and moaning quietly with the touch that Derek was giving her. She wasn't sleeping anymore either, but she was enjoying as much as Derek to be there with him, in his arms and having him for herself only.

"Is it snowing?" Her voice came out low.

They could hear the wind whizzing into their window.

"No! Not yet!" Derek sighed looking out on window.

The sky was grey, but there was no sign of snowflakes.

"I hope it will snow soon or I know someone who won't be very thrilled." For the first time that morning, Meredith opened the eyes and looked up at Derek.

"I know, but it looks like the snow is almost here!" Derek moved his head away from her, when he felt her moving hers, to be able to face her.

He smiled running a thumb over her lips and then along her cheek. "We might not have had the perfect date, but we sure had a perfect shower and a perfect night!"

"The perfect shower and night ever!" Meredith hung on his neck and lifted up her body a little to feel him into her. She dropped a soft on his lips and then let herself fell back on bed.

Derek lowered his head to her mouth, claiming it with starve and soon tasting it. He was furiously sucking her tongue and both lips, as his arms slipped under her back sustaining her blade bones. His body was pressing against hers making a complete and intimate contact with each other's skin.

Meredith's hands were traveling like crazy all over his back and through his curls hanging her lips on his each time he was pulling them apart to catch up some air. When Meredith took the control over his lips, he took out one hand out from under her to run it through her hair. He managed to escape his lips from hers, dropping a soft kiss on her forehead before going lower to her neck sucking and kissing the skin from it, deepening them each time Meredith was moaning his name. Derek took his other hand out to sustain himself on it and to be able to use the other one. First Meredith took it intertwining her fingers with his keeping it over her head and making him to bring back the kisses to her face. Meredith's head arched back and she twitched letting his hand go and let it rub it across her. Feathering little kisses across her eyelids, her nose and her lips, his hand continued to send her shivers with each move along her body; his thumb was softly tracing over the soft skin around her breast; his touch alone was nearly enough to send her over the edge.

Pulling her hair, forcing her head back to reveal her neck, his mouth moved over back to her neck and lower, his lips brushing provocatively close to her breasts. He pulled back to look into her eyes for a moment, their eyes smiling at each other, as his mouth playfully pulled at her bottom lip, his tongue instinctively pushing past her lips in search of hers, their tongues tasting each others once again.

Meredith arched her back and lifted up her hips into him, sending him this way a message that was telling him how ready she was for his next step. Derek didn't let her wait long and his response came right away, lifting one of her legs over his hips and spreading more the other. Meredith helped with the space and wrapped her other leg too around him, allowing him a better access to her.

His arms rested on each side of her and to take her by surprise, he started to kiss her first before the thrusts.

Meredith let out a loud moan when she felt him inside of her, but Derek instinctively covered her mouth with his hand.

"We don't want to make this public, do we?" He asked as he sneaked a hand under her to feel her closer to him.

When Meredith nodded as answer, Derek thrusted faster and faster, soon taking her to her peak, both of them stepping over the edge as Meredith was furiously biting her lips to keep the moans inside, digging her nails into his back and Derek was stroking her shoulder with the face buried into her neck's curve. Derek collapsed over her making sure that he stayed snuggly inside her for a few more moments, until he got his senses and breathe back.

"God Derek!" Meredith was breathing heavily under him and rested her forehead on his.

"We're good!" Derek giggled as he stood up a little and kissed softly her bruised lips. He slipped out of her and snuggled beside her.

"No, you are good!"

Derek laughed and pulled her into his arms. He caressed gently her hair, her cheeks, his thumb gently brushing her lips.

"Ok, I am the good one, but you make me this good!"

Meredith smiled broadly at his compliment and let her head to rest on his shoulder.

"We should get up!"

Derek said after a few minutes of silence and relaxation in each other's arms.

"We should!" Meredith agreed keeping her eyes closed. "Now?"

"No" Derek chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Good!" She made herself more comfortable in his arms. "Or maybe we should" She suddenly raised her head a little looking up at him.

"Why?"

"Sandy!"

"It's quiet out there; nobody is crying after her mommy, so she must still be sleeping."

"Yeah, you're right!" Meredith nodded as approve and put the head back down on him.

"What time is it?" She asked him after another minutes.

Derek looked over the nightstand and eyed the clock. "8:30"

Both let out a groan and Meredith pulled away from him, rolling onto her back.

"We should get up!" Derek looked at Meredith.

Meredith turned her face to him too. "We should!"

Derek removed the covers away from them, revealing their bare bodies. Meredith shivered a little because of the cold that Derek made when he threw the covers from them. Derek searched through bed for some of their clothes and he first found his boxers. He pulled them on and got out of the bed to pick up the rest of the clothes that they had dropped in the previous night.

Meredith found first her night shirt and slowly both of them found their clothes and got dressed. Just when she was full dressed, Meredith got out of the bed.

She walked towards the couch from window and picked up her dress.

"I can't believe you ripped it!"

Derek chuckled coming over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He hugged her back nuzzling his face into her back neck. "Don't worry, I'll buy you another one! This was with bad luck anyway and you won't wear it for our next date!"

"You ripped $356, Derek!"

"Actually it was $389 and I ripped my $389!"

Derek took the dress from her hands and threw it behind them. "Let's check Sandy and have a shower!"

"We can check on Sandy together, but we won't shower together!"

Derek smiled and shook his head as a sign that he doesn't believe her. He took her hand and walked out from their bedroom.

The bedroom that Sandy was sharing with Carrie, Mia and Laura was three rooms down the hall from theirs.

Derek was the one who opened the door slowly and sneaked his head through the half-opened door. Sandy was occupying the bed from middle together with Carrie, because their bed was the biggest, on her right was sleeping Laura and on her left was Mia. All three of them were sleeping peacefully and none of them seemed to give a sign of waking up. Derek motioned Meredith to pull her head back and then he slowly closed back the door.

"I am the first one in shower!" Meredith informed him serious as she walked back to her room to take some clothes.

Derek followed her inside and while she was searching through her things for that day's wardrobe, he started to set up the bed.

Meredith found some clothes and walked out to head to bathroom, not before to threat him not to follow her in there.

Of course, Derek wasn't scared by her threat and soon he walked in over her.

"Derek, what did I tell you?" Meredith snapped at him, when she saw him coming in.

Derek locked the door smiling and gently pushed her away from sink to be able to pour some toothpaste on his brush. "You can shower, I am not interested to watch or to join!" He took an indifferent attitude, just to teas her.

Meredith sniffed annoyed and started to take out her clothes.

Derek managed to play cool and he didn't join her in shower. She showered while he made his morning toilet and then she did the same as him, as Derek showered.

They walked out from bathroom together and after they dropped their things in their room, they headed downstairs. The living room was quiet, like the rest of the house actually. Although it was almost 9 o'clock, the only voices were coming from kitchen at that hour.

"Good morning Meredith, Derek!" Helen greeted them in there giving each of them a hug.

"Good morning mom, Nancy, Kevin!" Derek saluted her back and his sister and brother-in-law.

"Morning!" Nancy's answer came out more as a groan as she was resting her head into her palms lazy.

"Are you ok?" Meredith asked her a little worried. She took a seat down on table next to her, while Derek went to brought them the coffees.

"Yeah, I am fine… just that someone kept the bathroom occupied for more than half an hour last night and I had to stay in line until around midnight, then Rebecca had an asthma attack, when she finally calmed down and I found myself in bed to fall asleep loud noises were coming from the next door."

Meredith and Derek looked at each other smiling. That room was theirs and they had also occupied the bathroom.

"So… when are we leaving?" Derek changed the subject immediately bringing the coffee for him and Meredith.

Everyone smiled at each other, but none of them continued with the tease.

"Most of us are still sleeping, so we'll wait for everyone to wake up! There is no point to hurry!" Helen told him and joined the others for breakfast.

Slowly, one by one, every member of the family started to wake up; the first one was David, followed soon by Carol and her husband, Jess. Rebecca and Mike were the first children who woke up.

Rebecca pulled out a chair and took a seat next to her mother. She groaned when her mother asked her to salute the others.

"Now what is wrong with you?" Nancy snapped at her daughter annoyed seeing her so grouched.

"Bad night!" Rebecca replied trying to sound calmer, not wanting to get into a fight with her mother that early. "It was just me, or someone had a party or something like that last night?" She asked the grown-ups who were there, in kitchen with her.

"No, why?" Helen asked her curious as she stood up to bring her the breakfast.

"I could hear a lot of laughs last night… all night!" Rebecca's gestures were very well illustrating her frustrations from the previous night.

"I didn't hear anything!" Mike shook his head when Rebecca looked at him for approve.

Derek looked over at his sister and pleaded her with his face gestures to stay quiet.

"We didn't hear anything either!" Nancy rolled her eyes amused when she saw her brother's desperation.

"You might have ghosts here!" Rebecca raised her look to her grandparents with a very serious attitude. "Did someone die in here?"

Mike looked at her cousin a little frightened and then at his grandparents his eyes growing huge expecting them to say 'yes'.

"No, nobody died and you must have dreamed something, Rebecca! You had a hard night, so try to forget!" Helen told her and put a bowl and the box with cereals in front of her and Mike's.

"I'm not crazy!" Rebecca jumped offended when she heard her grandma.

"Nobody said you are crazy, Rebecca. Now eat and drop the subject!" Nancy snapped at her taking the box of cereals and dropping them into Rebecca's hand.

-----------------------

In the girls' room, one by one every girl started to wake up.

"Santa comes tonight!" Mia said with a small smile on her sleepy face as she was rubbing intensive her eyes.

Laura, Sandy and Carrie were also awake in their beds, sleepy, yawning and rubbing their eyes.

"Yay" Carrie felt refreshed when she heard her cousin, so she stood up and started to jump up and down in bed.

Laura got out of the bed and started to walk out from room "And he might found you into a cast with you continue to jump.

Carrie didn't like what her sister told her so she stopped and took a seat back down on bed. "I hope he won't forget my video game!"

"We should write him a letter to tell him where are we!" Mia said.

"I did! Mommy wrote it for me and I told him we are in New York; she wrote him down the address."

"Mommy wrote him a letter too, but I didn't tell him we are going to Southampton." Mia told to Sandy,

When she heard that, Sandy remained quiet and worried for a few moments. "She has to write another one!" Sandy jumped out of bed and ran out from room.

-----------------------

Most of the family members were around the table eating the breakfast when the girls came in running. Each of them stopped only when they reached to their moms.

"Mommy you have to write another letter for Santa!" Sandy told her mother with a grave tone.

"Well, Good morning you too!" Meredith laughed picking her up on her lap.

"Mommy" She cried when she saw that her mother was making fun of her.

"Calm down Sandy, we are going to write one!"

"Now!"

"After we eat the breakfast!"

"No, now mommy!" Sandy almost demanded her.

"Sandy" Meredith raised her voice a little and looked at her serious.

Sandy understood she didn't use exactly the best tone for that so she looked down guilty.

"Southampton is not far from Manhattan, so Santa will have time to stop here, read our note and come in Southampton! Now I want you to give me good morning kiss, go upstairs and get dressed; you will eat the breakfast and only then we'll write the letter."

Sandy smiled at her, lifted the face to her and kissed her cheek. "What are you eating?" She asked her then looking down in her plate.

"Scrabbled eggs with cheese!"

Sandy took the fork and stuck it in Meredith's food and then into her own mouth. "It's good" She looked up at her mother with the mouth full.

"I'm glad you like it, but now go and change your clothes." Meredith told her taking the fork back from her hand.

"I want one more!" Sandy bent over the plate smelling the food.

Meredith gave her one more piece from her food and then kissed her and put her down. "Go now and you will eat after!"

Sandy was refusing to leave from her legs, wrapping the arms around her arm. "Can I eat now, please? I am hungry!"

Meredith looked down at her shaking at her; at her daughter's pleading face she never could say no, so she smiled and stood up picking her up. "Let's wash your face at least!"

"I'll put her some!" Derek said standing up and going over the oven to put some eggs for Sandy.

Meredith bent her over the sink and Sandy washed her face, wetting in the same time a part of her hair that was falling ahead. Meredith handed her a towel to wipe the face and brushed the wet strands away from her face, hiding them behind the ears.

Derek returned to table with her plate and put it between him and Meredith, giving her his chair.

Sandy didn't take the chair right away and waited for her mother to sit down.

"Sandy, are you going to eat now or what?" Meredith asked her when she saw her standing there.

Sandy came to her legs and looked up at her with a suggestive smile. It was so suggestive that Meredith understood what she was wanting.

"Sandy, you are a big girl!"

Sandy didn't say a word; she knew very well that there was no point to bother using words; her look and smile were saying everything.

"Fine" Meredith groaned and picked her up. "But you should be ashamed of yourself! Everyone here eats like adults and you keep behaving like a baby!" Meredith twitted her.

Sandy looked around the kitchen to check if Meredith was right. She met some disapproving faces from Derek, Helen and some of her aunts, but she shrugged indifferent and looked down in Meredith's plate.

"Sandy, I am not going to feed you!" Meredith told her serious.

Sandy seemed to ignore her and leaned her head against Meredith's chest.

"I am sure that Santa sees this!" Meredith continued when she saw her daughter's stubbornness.

That seemed to have an effect on her, so she straightened up and took the fork and Meredith pulled the plate in front of her.

"You are spoiling her too much!" Nancy told her disapproving seeing how easily Meredith was usually giving up in front of Sandy.

Meredith knew she was doing right therefore, she didn't comment anything.

"Take care with this or she will turn into a spoiled brat!" Nancy continued looking this time at her daughter, Rebecca.

Rebecca felt touched by her mother's words and jumped offended. "Excuse me?!"

"Eat your breakfast, because we have to leave soon!" Nancy cut her right away.

-----------------------

After breakfast, everyone returned upstairs to get ready for road.

Meredith and Derek prepared their bags and went to check on the girls. They were already dressed and Sandy was arranging some of her toys in her bag, while Carrie was struggling to brush her long blonde hair and Mia was already done and downstairs waiting for them to finish.

"Did you brush your hair, Sandy?" Meredith asked her looking over Sandy's shoulder to see what exactly she was doing.

"No mommy, but I will brush it fast!" Sandy didn't take her eyes away from what she was doing and continued with her obsession to make sure that she has everything she needs for a trip.

Meredith rolled her eyes and looked back at Carrie.

"Do you need help, Carrie?"

"Yes, mommy is busy now!" Carried cried out and put the hairbrush down on bed next to her sighing.

Meredith smiled and walked over to her. She picked her up and put her down to take her seat on the bed's edge. She pulled her between her legs and Carrie rested herself on them.

"You have a very nice hair, Carrie!" Meredith complimented her while she was running the hairbrush through her hair.

"Thank you Meredith! Mommy says I have her curls and daddy's color and that she is happy that I am blonde like daddy!"

Meredith looked up at Derek, who was making their beds and smiled.

"It's indeed a great combo! You are a very pretty young lady!" Meredith grabbed her chin and turned her face gently to her.

Carrie smiled charming at her compliment and Meredith kissed her forehead turning then the face ahead to finish with the brushing.

Hearing her mother's compliments for Carrie, Sandy put aside what she was doing and turned to look at them.

"I like how you are doing it, Meredith! Just mommy can do it like this; daddy and Laura and pulling me by hair!" Carrie returned her compliment referring at the way that Meredith was brushing her hair.

"Sandy used to have the hair as long as yours! Do you remember, Sandy?" Meredith took her eyes away from Carrie's hair just for a second to look at Sandy.

"Yeah"

Sandy's look and voice weren't very happy and Meredith and Derek noticed that realizing then that Meredith might have touched a sensitive spot.

"How do you want me to arrange your hair?"

"Braid it!"

"Into a tail or two?"

"Two tails!"

Meredith split her hair in two and started to brush a part of it, under Sandy's long distant look.

"Are you going to kindergarten?" Meredith asked her.

"No; mommy says I will go in august, but she taught me to count to ten and I can write my name!" Carrie told her very proud.

"You can?! Wow!" Meredith and Derek tried to look impressed to encourage her.

"This means you are a smart girl!" Meredith complimented her.

"I can write my name too and I can count to 15!" At that point, Sandy wasn't able to stand all the compliments that Derek and Meredith were making to Carrie. Her tone and look were obviously jealous.

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other knowing that that might be a good time to see how Sandy would accept to share them with another child.

"I know you can sweetie! Both of you are very clever!" Meredith tried to see if she could make her feel better.

Sandy ran to her nightstand, took the hairbrush from it and came running with it to her mother.

"Help me, mommy!" Sandy handed her the hairbrush though her mother was still braiding Carrie's first tail.

"I thought you said you can do it!"

"I want you to brush it!" Sandy insisted coming next to her and leaning on bed with the eyes on Carrie's hair.

"Come here and I will brush it for you!" Derek called her from the next bed.

"No! I want mommy!" Sandy protested without taking her eyes from what her mother was doing.

"Go to him Sandy! I have to finish her tails!"

Sandy shook her head firm and leaned the head on her arm as a sign of how determined she was to have her hair fixed by her mother.

"Come here, Sandy!" Derek repeated his invitation patting the bed he was sitting on.

"Send Carrie to him!" Sandy looked up at her mommy pleading her.

"Sandy, this is not nice of you! If you don't want Derek to brush your hair then do it by yourself or wait until I finish with Carrie."

Sandy pouted and climbed up on bed remaining on the bed's edge next to them and completely ignoring Derek's presence in that room. She wanted her mommy to brush her hair, so she was willing to wait for her.

Derek stood up sighing and came over to Sandy. "I am waiting for you downstairs if nobody needs me here!" He gave her a kiss and smiled at Meredith and Carrie. He was hoping that maybe like that he would have Sandy's attention. Sandy ignored him, so he took some of the bags to take them downstairs.

"Done!" Meredith released Carrie when her last tail was ready.

Carrie ran to the mirror from the opposed corner to see how she was looking. She looked back at Meredith smiling very excited as she was touching careful her hair.

"What do you think?" Meredith walked over to her and bent down to see her in mirror too.

Carrie turned around and gave her a kiss. "I like it, Meredith!"

"I'm glad you do!" Meredith kissed her cheek back.

Of course, Sandy was already behind them waiting nervous for her mommy to stop and pay her some attention. Because that thing didn't seem to happen soon, Sandy patted her waist.

"Mommy!"

"In a second Sandy!"

"Now mommy!" She cried out with a pleading tone that made Meredith to let Carrie go and turn around at her daughter. When she saw that her mother was giving her attention again, Sandy extended the arms up to her to be picked up in arms.

Meredith giggled with a disapproving shake from head and took her up on arms. She returned to bed and took a seat on the edge of it placing Sandy on her lap and Sandy handing her the hairbrush. Meredith took it and put it down on bed beside them starting to brush her hair with her own fingers. She didn't want to say it, but she wanted to show her that she didn't have any reason to be jealous on Carrie, so as her hands were running through Sandy's hair she was making sure that she tickles with her finger tips the skin from around her neck. Sandy was giggling shaking by the shivers that her mother's touches were giving her.

"You are such a silly girl sometimes sweetie!" Meredith kissed her cheek and took the hairbrush to brush her hair.

"I am not silly, mommy!" Sandy looked up at her with an innocent smile and took the hairbrush back to brush it on her own.

Meredith watched smiling how her daughter was refusing to be left out of her attention, but without looking in the same time as a silly girl.

Sandy brushed her hair fast just as she told Meredith when she and Derek came in. When she was done with it, she put the hairbrush down on bed next to them and stood up in her knees in Meredith's lap looking into her eyes with a sweet smile.

"What is it?" Meredith asked her amused seeing the way that Sandy was staring at her.

As answer, Sandy wrapped the arms around her neck and put the head down on her shoulder burying the face in Meredith's hair.

Meredith took her into a hug rubbing her back. "I love you too baby!" Sandy didn't say it, but Meredith knew that was one of Sandy's ways to show off her affection.

After a series of hugs and kisses, Meredith helped her with her bags and headed downstairs together.

Downstairs, almost everyone was dressed and some of the men were loading the cars; Carrie was laughing hysterical in Derek's arms as he was tickling her tummy through her jacket.

When he saw Meredith and Sandy coming downstairs, Derek stopped and carrying Carrie in his arms, he came to them.

"Is she ok?" He asked Meredith when he leaned down to kiss her.

"A little jealous, but she will survive!"

Derek ruffled a little Sandy's hair knowing how much that angers her.

Sandy slapped his hands and looked up at him with a glare. She took Meredith's arm hanging on it upset.

Derek wanted to see if his play and attention to Carrie was having the same effect on her as it did when Sandy saw Carrie with Meredith.

"What do you say? We help them with their bags?" Derek asked Carrie smiling.

Carrie nodded smiling and bent down over his arms to grab one of their bags.

"Thank you sweetie!" Meredith gave her the easiest bag and followed them outside.

Sandy was of course behind them following them closely.

Derek dropped the suitcases into a van and after that, when he got his hand free again, he grabbed Carrie's waist and lifted her up over his head to make her laugh.

Sandy was watching them in silence still hanging around her mother and as more Derek was making Carrie to laugh, more Sandy was feeling hurt and jealous to see them. She didn't say and do anything for a while, but she didn't like all the attention that Derek was giving to Carrie only.

She left from her mother's side and walked to him stopping at his legs. She gave different looks around her, around the car, but none of them up to them.

Meredith and Derek saw her and both were curious to see what she was going to do.

"We have one more suitcase upstairs Sandy, come and help me!" Meredith called reaching the hand to her.

"No! It's heavy!" She said looking up at Derek. "Come and help us daddy!"

"There is no need for him to help us! We can bring it down, just come and check if you didn't forget anything up!" Meredith walked over to her and took her hand.

Sandy pulled the hand back and shook her head.

Derek patted Meredith's shoulder and motioned her with a sign from hand to leave her. "We'll talk to her about this later!"

Meredith nodded and shook her head looking down at Sandy.

"I want up too!" Sandy cried looking up at him.

At Sandy's pouted face, Derek knew it would be better if he would stop with the teasing, so he put Carrie down and kneeled at Sandy's level. He pulled her into his arms and with two kisses on both cheeks, he brought her back the smile.

--------------------------------------

Two vans were needed to get the entire family.

Most of the children got into a van to make the time pass faster on road.

"Are you ready?" Derek asked Meredith, who had just come to their car. He was leaning against the car taking care that every kid was getting in.

Meredith leaned on him and lifting on toes, she dropped a soft kiss on his lips. "I guess I am!"

Derek brushed her hair to back with both hands and looking into her eyes he saw that something was wrong. He smiled and pulled her face up to him for one more kiss. "What is it?"

Meredith knew there was no point to deny it to him. "I am nervous! I don't know why I have this strange… and … unpleasant feeling about the meeting with your other sister!"

"Oh Mer!" Derek smiled and kissed her forehead. "I promise! Do you hear me? I promise everything will be all right with Liz!"

"Ok"

Derek knew she agreed with him just to please him, but he decided to let her convince herself later.

"Are you going with the younger ones?" Kathleen asked them.

"Yes! We'll take care of them!" Derek told her and led Meredith to door. "Go and take the seats from back!" He nudged her pointing the free seats from back.

Meredith smiled shaking her head, but she found it a good idea and a great place to spend some time in private.

Laura, Carrie, Mia and Sandy were in there. Meredith checked their seatbelts and then she took a seat at window on the place mentioned by Derek. Derek joined her soon, after he had made some jokes with the girls.

He fell back on his seat with an arm around Meredith shoulder, pulling her into him. "Don't you like it here?" He asked her referring at their seats.

"I love it here!" Meredith giggled and leaned on him. She titled the head to him and let her lips softly to brush on his.

Derek felt that wasn't enough to him and grabbing her chin, he kept the contact longer transforming it into a kiss.

"You two" Carol stepped in car too and pointed threatening towards Meredith and Derek. "Stop it right now!"

"Leave us alone and mind your own business!" Derek groaned at his sister, not very scared by her serious tone and continued to caress Meredith's cheeks.

"That is what I am doing and my business is to take care of these kids! And I don't think they have the right age to find out what the sex is." Carol replied taking one of the seats from front.

When they heard that word again, said into a car with children, who's ages weren't bigger than 9, Meredith and Derek pulled apart and looked at each other. In the next second they saw Sandy's face raising from her seat and looking back at them.

Meredith immediately grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back down. "Stay there and quiet!"

None of them new exactly if Sandy wanted to tell them something about that or about something else; Meredith's grave tone made her stay quiet.

David joined them in the back seats, taking the seat next to Derek.

"Dad, what are you doing here? I thought you were going with mom!"

"I am! We heard something nasty about this car, so we switched the places with Nancy and Steve to supervise all the persons from this one!" David smiled suggestively at them, knowing very well what he was referring at.

Meredith and Derek knew it too, so they smiled a little embarrassed at each other and stopped the kissing session.

During the ride David took care to entertain the children, while the rest of the grown-ups fell asleep.

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The meeting with Liz, her husband Scott and their three children was very pleasant for Derek, but not so pleasant for Meredith and Sandy. Scott seemed like a nice man and he was a real gentleman with Meredith and very charming with Sandy. Liz on the other hand welcomed them with some kind of coldness and restrains. Meredith felt that from the forced smile that Liz gave her when Derek introduced them to each other.

Same as her mother, Sandy didn't felt very welcomed by her other cousins. Joey was the younger one, and the same age as her; Kiara and Natalie were the older ones, 12 and 14 years old. The girls greeted her nicely, same as her other cousins, not bounding too much with the younger ones.

After they settled in their rooms, Sandy went out to play with the others in garden. There wasn't snow in Southampton either; contrariwise the weather was cold, but very sunny. That was one of the kids' reasons to go outside and play. That one and the tree house that David had built for them.

Derek felt Meredith a little nervous after her meeting with Liz and decided to stay by her side for a while to make her feel calmer.

They were all gathered in living room talking in small groups very loudly and with many laughs.

Liz and Scott were with Meredith and Derek talking about Derek's new job in Seattle and about his new life in Seattle.

"It must have been very hard for you Meredith, after Sandy's father death!" Liz told her with sympathy.

"Yeah… it wasn't easy!"

"To be widow so young and raising a baby on your own!" Liz continued.

Meredith was feeling uncomfortable to talk about that with anyone in generally, especially with Derek's family. "Actually… we weren't married… I mean…" Meredith knew she should have mentioned the fact that she hadn't been married with James, Sandy's biological father. She knew she was going on the wrong way with that, so she didn't know how to continue and stopped.

"So Sandy was an accident!"

Meredith didn't like very much how that statement came out from Liz's mouth and got a little angry.

"Yeah… you can say she was an accident, but now I am happy to have her and she makes my whole world."

"You are lucky then that you found Derek!"

Meredith put aside any shadow of smile and kindness from her face and threw her a despised look. "I know!" Saying that she left them and walked out of the room.

"Why did you have to bring that up and say it like that?" Derek snapped angry at his sister.

Everyone heard the last lines between Liz and Meredith, since both of them had raised the voice.

Helen and Derek left after Meredith, each of them throwing a glare to Liz.

Meredith had left in kitchen and splashed some cold water on face to chill out a little.

"I'm sorry Mer!" Derek came to her and started to rub her back as comfort.

"I am sorry too, Meredith!" Helen joined them.

"It's fine! Maybe I should tell them the whole truth about Sandy!"

"Meredith, this is your choice only; if you think we should tell them, then we will; if not… it doesn't matter in either way. She is your daughter now and mine!"

"I think we should tell them but… if the children would find out… they might look at her different!"

"The children don't have to know it!"

Meredith tried to take her good spirit back and smiled leaning on Derek.

"_Joey fell off the tree!"_

Laura's shout in living room produced a commotion in there and also alerted Meredith, Derek and Helen hurrying outside to see what had happened.

Everyone was gathered under the tree with the house and Joey was lying down on ground with the face up and crying.

Meredith and Derek hurried to check on him, both of them kneeling on each side of him.

"How did this happen?" Liz asked desperate the other kids.

"Sandy pushed him!" Laura was the one who informed them.

When they heard that, Meredith and Derek looked at each worried and then back at Sandy, who was standing somewhere behind crying.

"How is he?" Scott asked them.

"He is fine; just scared!" Derek tried to calm them down, while Meredith stood up and walked over to Sandy.

"Are you sure? Shouldn't we take him to hospital for more tests?" Liz was standing down at her son's head.

"Liz, he fell from a height of three feet on soft ground, so he is fine! Trust me!"

"Sandy, why did you do this? Why did you push him?" Meredith snapped angry at her daughter.

If Sandy was crying quietly before that, when she heard her mother's reproach she started to cry harder with sobs.

"Go up in your room and wait me there!" Meredith demanded her into a softer tone, but still harsh enough.

She felt her heart breaking when she saw her daughter running inside crying like that, but she couldn't explain Sandy's gesture.

Derek saw the scene between Meredith and Sandy and wanting to find out the reason, he asked Laura. "Why did she push him?"

"He told her she is not your daughter and we are not her cousins!"

"Liz!" Derek yelled at his sister when he heard that.

"What? I am right, ain't I? This is what happens when you bring another man's child in your family! How do we know what kind of man her father was? What if he was abusive or something like this?" Liz looked at Derek angry.

Everyone from there was looking terrified by the cruel words that Liz had just said, especially in front of Meredith's and all their eyes moved over Meredith, who was looking at Liz with anger.

"I can't believe this!" Her eyes started to tear as she was shaking her head with disbelief. She was angry on what Joey and Liz had said, but mostly because of the way she yelled at Sandy. Her first impulse was to run upstairs after Sandy not carrying too much anymore about their pleadings, excuses and justifications.

"You're unbelievable Liz!" Derek lifted Joey up and handed him to Liz. As he did that, he hurried inside after Meredith.

"You have no idea what are you talking about Liz!" Helen started to lash out her daughter. "Both Sandy and Meredith are wonderful persons and her father's dead was tragic lost!"

"Ok, now shoot me for this!" Liz snapped at her carrying Joey inside.

"Don't take me with this, Liz! You cannot throw all these awful things into them each time something bad happens! She pushed him because of what he said to her, because of what you said to him! Any other kid would have reacted in the same way as she!"

"Whatever!" Liz walked inside indifferent.

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Meredith found Sandy crying in her bed with the face buried into the covers; her entire body was shaking because if the sobs and Meredith could feel her pain just looking and hearing her.

She found herself crying too, harder and harder for her daughter's sufferance. She laid down next to her, her hand gently rubbing Sandy's back.

"I am sorry sweetie! I am very sorry!"

Sandy refused to take her face away from covers and shook her head continuing to cry.

"Sandy please look at me! Mommy is very sorry for what she said!"

Because Sandy was refusing to answer her pleadings, Meredith picked her up by waist dragging that way the covers that Sandy was holding in her grip. Meredith placed her in her arms resting her head on her chest. "I'm sorry baby!"

Sandy released the covers and took into her grip Meredith sweater. "Can we… go home… mommy?" She looked up at her pleading and struggling to form the question.

"Do you want to go home?" Meredith used her sleeve to wipe Sandy's face, brushing then the wet strands away from her face and temples. She was crying so much that Meredith's sleeve became soon too wet to be used for wipe.

"I do … Let's go back to … to Addie and Izzie… they love us!"

"Sandy, what Joey said was a mean thing, but everyone here loves you! Daddy, grandma and grandpa, Carrie!"

"NO!" She yelled and grabbed her sweater again to hide her face in it. "They don't love me!"

Derek got in their room exactly when Sandy said that.

Meredith looked up at him crying and shook her head. "I knew it Derek! It would have been too perfect to be true!"

"I'm so sorry Meredith! I … I don't know what to say!"

"She doesn't deserve this, Derek!"

"Of course she doesn't!" Derek stroke Sandy's hair and bent to kiss her head.

Sandy made a move of rejection from her head and refused to look at him.

"Sandy, please look at me!" Derek was standing in bed right next to them caressing her back.

Sandy answered him with a shake from head.

"You know I love you, don't you?"

"You don't … love me! You're not … my daddy!" Sandy almost shouted at him and gave him and angry look.

Derek could not feel more hurt than that when he heard the hateful way that Sandy was talking to him. Then was when he understood even more Meredith's pain.

"Sandy, no matter what people says, like it or not you are my daughter now! You're stuck with me as your daddy!"

Sandy didn't say a word and she didn't look at him either. She wrapped her arms around Meredith's begging her for a tighter hug.

Meredith held her tight into her arms, kissing her head repetitively and avoiding Derek's eyes.

"Meredith"

"Give her time, Derek! Give us time!"

Derek didn't say more and just stood there with them, hoping that at least one of them will look at him soon.

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Joey was indeed fine after that fall; he was just scared at that time, but when her mother took him inside and asked him to play nice with his cousins, he started to feel better.

All the grown-up gathered in kitchen, trying to bring up some senses in Liz's judgment and find a way to calm down the spirits, especially Sandy's.

"I can't understand why you cannot accept Sandy and Meredith in Derek's life? From where this conception: if Sandy is not Derek's real father, then Sandy and Meredith are harmful to our family?" It was David's turn to try understanding what was going on in his daughter's head.

"Could you please give me a break with this? Fine… I'll apologize and everything will be perfect again!"

"No Liz! We don't want to make you apologize… we want to make you understand that you have no reason to misjudge them!" Helen interfered. "What if you or Scott or both of you would die and your son will be left in someone else's care? Wouldn't you want that person to give him a proper family and to be accepted by the whole family? How do you think he would feel if into a fight someone throws him that he doesn't belong to them?"

Helen's word put Liz on thoughts.

"They should tell them, Helen!" David said to his wife.

"It's Meredith's decision, David and we can't interfere!"

"There is something that we should know about?" Nancy asked.

"Is it more from their story?" Kathleen followed her sister with a question.

"It is, but it's not that important and necessarily for you to know! I am going to check on them!" Helen told them and walked out from kitchen.

Everyone looked then at David. David just shrugged and walked out too.

---------------------------------------

The bedroom's door was half-open, so Helen pushed it a little and stepped inside.

Meredith had moved up on pillows with Sandy in her arms, and Derek was standing next to them leaned against the headboard.

Derek made Helen a sign not to make noise as Sandy had fallen asleep.

She nodded and came over to their bed taking a seat on Meredith's legs. "I am sorry! I know it doesn't help much but… I am sorry!"

"I know Helen! It's not your fault!"

"How is she?"

"She is not fine mom!" Derek snapped at her mad, but then he realized he raised the voice too much and turned his words in whisper. "She doesn't see me as her father anymore… she cannot even look at me! They hate me and I hate myself for ruining their holiday!"

"I don't hate you Derek and Sandy doesn't hate you either! She is just hurt… we are hurt!"

"I shouldn't have suggested you to come here for holidays!"

"Derek, sooner or later this was supposed to happen! We both knew it! Now let's just wait and see how she feels after this nap!" Meredith told him caressing Sandy's hair.

"If she is not better, then tonight we are going back to Seattle!"

Meredith nodded and let out a heavy sigh.

"We can help her feel better! We really want you here with us for Christmas!" Helen told them rubbing warmly one of Meredith's legs.

She left and they returned to their heavy silence. They hadn't said a word to each other since Meredith asked him for some time; just Helen presence made Meredith to talk and look at him.

Meredith got lower in bed with the head over pillow and snuggling Sandy in her arms, she closed the eyes. As she did that Derek bent over them and kissed them both, then he laid down too facing them.

When Sandy opened her eyes later, her face was turned to Derek, so he was the first person she saw next to her.

Derek didn't fall asleep and watched their sleep in all that time.

They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, none of them saying a single word.

Derek smiled at her and Sandy smiled back. Right after her small and quick smile, Sandy turned her back on him to face her mother. She started to caress her cheek slowly.

"Mommy" she called in whisper.

Meredith opened the eyes immediately as she felt her daughter's touch.

"I'm hungry and thirsty, mommy!"

It was passed 4 o'clock and none of them had eaten since morning, except for Sandy who had some snacks during the ride.

Meredith stood up in her sit and dragged her up too. "Let's go downstairs and eat!"

"No mommy!" Sandy grabbed her hand "Let's eat here!"

"We can't eat here sweetie!"

"Please mommy!"

Meredith looked at Derek hoping for some help, but she knew that Derek wasn't in condition to help her in that moment, so she tried to help herself.

"Let's go in kitchen, ok? Mommy will come and be there with you!"

Sandy answered her with a frown look, but she didn't say yes or no, so Meredith put her down from bed and took her hand.

"Up mommy!" Sandy hung on her arms.

Meredith smiled and picked her up in arms. As she did that, Sandy wrapped herself with arms and legs around her, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Are you coming too?" Meredith looked at Derek, who was standing in bed.

Derek nodded and jumped out of bed hurrying after them.

On their way downstairs, Sandy was giving him glances. Each time he was catching her eyes, she was looking into a different way. Derek smoothed her hair and gave her a quick kiss.

After his kiss, Sandy looked up at him for a few seconds, but then, again she looked away.

Meredith walked straight towards kitchen avoiding as much as possible to look at the others.

They walked in kitchen and found Nancy and Helen in there.

"Hey! I bet you're hungry, aren't you?" Helen came over to Meredith smiling at Sandy.

Sandy looked at her mother waiting for her to answer.

"Yes, we are!" Meredith got her message and answered to Helen.

"Then take a seat down at table and I will serve you!"

Meredith put Sandy down on a chair.

"Mommy" Sandy cried when she saw herself on that chair.

"You are a big girl Sandy! Look, I am standing right next to you, ok?" She told her taking a seat next to her.

Derek forced his luck encouraged by Sandy's last faces to him and took a seat next to her too.

Sandy looked up at him smiling and then back down over the bowl with soup that Helen had put down in front of her.

"Thank you!" She said without taking her eyes from her soup and grabbing a spoon.

"You're welcome Sandy!"

Carrie came in running and took a seat across the table. "Are you better, Sandy?" She asked her.

Because Sandy had started already too eat and because she was too hungry to talk, she answered her with a nod.

"Do you want to draw with me after you eat?" Carrie continued to ask and again Sandy's answer came with a nod.

"I have a better idea, girls!" Helen said looking at them.

Both girls looked up at her curious.

"What do you say if we are going to bake the pies together?"

"I don't like to cook" Carrie said a little disappointed.

"I do! I'll help!" Sandy seemed to have forgotten about Joey and about hunger and her face lighted up at Helen's suggestion.

Helen looked at Derek and Meredith, who seemed better after they had seen Sandy's reaction.

"But you said you will draw with me!" Carrie looked pouted at Sandy.

"Come one Carrie, we will take Mia and Laura too to help us! It will be fun, you'll see!" Helen knew that her idea might be the perfect solution to improve Sandy's mood, so she was trying to convince her cousins to join them for more fun.

"Yes Carrie, it will be fun!" For the first time since Joey's accident, Sandy sounded again like … Sandy.

That couldn't make Meredith and Derek to feel anything but relief and both hoped that through a miracle, their Christmas in New York will be as Derek had planned… unforgettable.

Meredith tho, wasn't completely relieved. Her worries were still over Liz and Joey's presence there and at some other awful things that they could tell them and hurt even more Sandy.

After they ate, Sandy expressed the desire to wash the dishes and with nobody else but her mother.

"Do you still want to go home, Sandy?" Meredith asked her while she was handing her a washed plate.

She was hoping that Sandy will say yes and then all her worries will be gone and she and Sandy can enjoy the Christmas as they did in the last two years. That was why she was a little disappointed when she saw Sandy hesitating with an answer.

"I don't know mommy!" She looked at her sad. It was obvious that she wasn't comfortable with Liz and Joey either, but she loved the time she was spending with her grandma and her cousins.

"We don't have a Christmas tree there, but we could go to Izzie!" Meredith suggested her.

"Meredith, what are you doing?" Derek had stayed there with them talking to Nancy, but also paying attention to what Sandy and Meredith were talking from time to time. He jumped when he heard what Meredith was saying to Sandy and came over to them.

Meredith felt bad for that, so she put the plate she was washing in that moment and took Derek's arm to take him further from Sandy's ears.

"I'm sorry Derek … but I'm scared!"

Derek wiped the eye that had started to form, using his thumb and looked into her eyes pleading. "I know Mer, but … Liz won't do it again and neither Joey!"

"Can you promise me?" She asked him.

Derek looked down and stayed quiet.

"See? I can't risk, Derek!"

"Meredith" Nancy came to them hearing what they were talking about "Liz is a mother too and I am sure that she will manage to control herself and Joey! We all want, including Liz, to have a wonderful time for Christmas! I can promise you that!"

"Please Meredith!" Derek begged her again.

"Fine!" Meredith wasn't convinced at all by Nancy's assurance. "But if anything happens again, then I will never walk into this family again!" She told them threatening and returned to Sandy, who was wiping the same plate as earlier.

Liz apologized to Meredith, for what she and her son had said to them and because she seemed honest, Meredith agreed to give them one more chance, even tho she could not forgive Liz.

Everyone tried to act as nothing would have happened, bringing back in that way the joy and the Christmas spirit.

David left with Steve, Mike and Joey to buy a Christmas tree, while Sandy, Carrie, Mia, Laura were helping her grandma in kitchen. Meredith didn't leave Sandy's side not even for a second and stood there with them talking with Helen and Nancy and amusing herself seeing how Helen was commanded by the four little girls in her own kitchen.

The boys returned later with the Christmas tree and after they installed it to its place prepared in living room, the older kids took the mission to decorate it. That one was of course one of Sandy's biggest pleasures for Christmas, to decorate the Christmas tree, therefore, she was present around them too, trying to convince them to let a decoration in the place she had put it.

Sandy gave up disappointed and went over to her mother, who was helping Helen and Nancy to decorate the living room.

Meredith knew already what the problem was when she saw Sandy coming to her, so she put down the garland and took her up in arms.

"You can help us, sweetie!" She told her kissing her cheek.

"I want the Christmas tree, mommy!" Sandy answered her very sad.

Meredith looked at her smiling and brushed the hair away from face. "You will have to share it with them from now on!"

Sandy shook her head and put it down on Meredith's shoulder.

"Come on Sandy, we don't want Santa to see us pouted!" Meredith told her lovingly rubbing her little back. Right in that moment, Meredith saw something outside on window, so she carried her out on front door.

When she met the cold air from outside, Sandy raised her head and looked around her. She let out a gasp and hugged tight Meredith's neck.

"It's snowing mommy!"

It was indeed snowing; slowly and with big snowflakes.

Meredith climbed down the porch and walked out so that they can feel the snowflakes melting on them.

Sandy arched her head back, with the face up on sky, giggling happy each time a snowflake was tickling her face.

Meredith returned on porch and took a seat down on it, placing Sandy on her lap and holding her tight in arms to keep warm to each other. Sandy rested her back against Meredith, holding her mother's arms close to her body and watching amazed how beautiful was snowing.

After a few moments of silence, Sandy turned her head back and looked at Meredith sad.

"I want to decorate the Christmas tree!"

"I know you want Sandy, but this is their Christmas tree too! You can find something else to do!"

"I don't like them!"

"Who?"

"Rebecca, Mike, Joey! They are mean to me!"

"Can I tell you a secret?" Meredith approached her ear waiting for her answer.

Sandy nodded curious.

"I don't like them either!" She told her smiling. "But they are Derek's family and we have to stand them from time to time! But we like grandma, grandpa, Carrie, Mia, don't we?"

"I like them too!" Sandy answered her a little more cheered up seeing that her mother was sharing the same feelings as her.

"What Joey told you today, it was a mean thing, but as Derek told you … he is your daddy and he loves you very much! You have to remember this each time someone says something this mean to you, ok?"

"Ok mommy!" Sandy nodded a little sad remembering the events from earlier. "I still love him!" She continued.

"I know you do you, but I want you to show it to him later!"

"And I love you too mommy!" Sandy looked at her smiling and resting her head against Meredith's shoulder.

Meredith kissed her forehead smiling. "I know baby! And you do know that I love you too, don't you?"

Sandy answered her smiling with a nod.

"Look Sandy… you are a big girl now, so I can talk to you like to a big girl, right?"

"Yes" Sandy nodded proud to see the mature way that Meredith was treating her.

"Derek and I will have at least one more baby in the future… a little brother or sister for you, and we'll love the baby as much as we love you. Never doubt that we will stop love you, because this will never happen. You are and you will always be our girl!"

"Can I have a sister, because I don't like the boys too much?" Sandy didn't seem to have understood too much from what Meredith had told her. She heard something about a little sister or brother and she needed to express her wish.

"Will see! But if you will have a brother, then try to like him, ok? … Just as you like Tucker!"

"Ok, but when will I have one?"

"I am not sure, but not very soon!"

"Why? Can't you ask God to bring us one tomorrow?" Sandy asked innocent.

Meredith giggled and cupped her face to kiss her nose. "I told you before, the baby has to grow up a little in my tummy for nine months and only then it can come out."

"Why don't you ask God for a bigger one?"

"Because God has only small, tiny babies"

"Ok" Sandy seemed satisfied with Meredith's explication. "How much does it mean nine months? Is it on my birthday?"

"No! Your birthday will be in about 4 months!"

"Then it's going to be next Christmas?" Sandy was looking for the answer to her initial question.

"Probably… I don't know yet!"

"I thought you are smart, mommy!" Sandy asked her a little amused, but twitting her in the same time.

Meredith started to laugh and brought Sandy's head to rest back on her, rubbing her arms to keep her warm. "I have to admit that I am less smart than you! But to give you an answer, mommy has to get pregnant first and just then you can start counting nine months"

"Then why don't you get pregnant now?" Sandy pulled away from her a little to be able to gesticulate with gestures and her face expression how simple the solution was.

Meredith found some trouble in giving her an answer and to her luck, the front door opened and Derek appeared behind them.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked them shivering when he met the cold. He then saw the snowflakes. "It's snowing!"

"It's snowing!" Meredith repeated his observation looking up at him smiling.

Derek took a seat down on porch next to her, wrapping his arms around Meredith. "But why don't you put a jacket on?"

"We won't stay long! I just wanted to show her the snow and cheer her up a little!"

"Why? What happened?" Derek asked her a little afraid of a new malicious comment from Joey or Liz.

"They don't let her help them with the Christmas tree's decoration!"

"I am sorry, Sandy! Do you want me to talk to them?" Derek asked rubbing Sandy's leg.

Sandy and Derek didn't talk much to each other and Sandy didn't show him any affection since that incident.

Sandy looked up at her mommy, waiting for her again to give him the answer.

"Sandy, I thought we talked about this!" Meredith lifted her a little to make her look at Derek.

Sandy gave Derek a smile that seemed a little shy; uncommon for her, but encouraging enough for Derek.

Derek reached his arms for her and Sandy let herself moved in Derek's arms without any protest. When she was in Derek's arms, Sandy wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss. Then, she put the head down on him looking back up on sky.

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other and Derek tightened the hug and kissed her back.

"Tell me, do you want me to tell them to let you help with the Christmas tree?" Derek asked her again.

Sandy shook her head without looking back at him.

"I told her she has to share some things with them from now on! Including us and the Christmas tree!"

"I didn't know she likes to do that too!"

"Are you kidding me? This is her favorite thing from all the Christmas preparations. She is the one who decorates the Christmas tree each year; we help too, but only under her command."

"Next year will ask them to let the younger ones to decorate it, ok?" Derek proposed her.

"But can I put my angels in it now?" Sandy asked looking up at her mother.

"You can put the angels wherever you want to!" Derek asked for Meredith. He was trying in all the possible ways to regain her affections.

"Ok" Sandy looked up at him smiling and then back outside in yard watching how the snow was falling down on ground and melting in the next second. "Why isn't there any snow down?" She asked worried still looking outside.

"Because the ground is still warm, but if it continues to snow, soon everything will turn into white. Do you see the tree?" Meredith asked pointing to some. "They have snow on them already!"

Sandy nodded more calm. "Look mommy!" She burst all of the sudden pointing up on sky. "I saw Santa!"

"What?" Meredith looked up trying to see Sandy's vision and then at Derek.

Derek shrugged smiling.

"I can't wait to see what Santa will bring me!" Sandy giggled very excited and snuggled into Derek's arms for more warmth.

"I think we should get inside and see if they finished with the Christmas tree so that you can put the angels in it!" Derek suggested as he was standing up with Sandy in his arms.

"Mommy, when are you going to get pregnant?" As usual, Sandy didn't forget about her unanswered questioned.

"What?" Derek asked laughing at Meredith.

Meredith wished that Sandy had forgotten about that or at least that she will ask when Derek was not present.

"I don't know yet, Sandy! Let's get inside!" Meredith answered fast opening the door.

"Maybe tonight, Sandy!" Derek said looking at Meredith with a smirk.

Meredith rolled her eyes smiling and walked inside.

--------------------------------

On Christmas most of the people, no matter how young or old they are, they are all 5 again. When it was David's turn to tell stories on Christmas Eve, it was one of their excuses to consider themselves children again.

They were all gathering around him, listening as fascinated as their children David's inventions.

Meredith had the chance then to see from where Derek's gift was coming inventing stories.

After two hours of listening, David considered that it was enough for one night, especially when most of the children had fallen asleep already.

Meredith picked her sleepy daughter up in her arms to carry her upstairs.

"Do you want to sleep with your cousins?" She asked her whispering and kissing her forehead.

Sandy shook her head keeping her eyes closed and burying her face into her mother's chest.

Derek was following them closely going upstairs with them to give them the goodnight kisses. He saw Sandy shaking her head, so he moved on Meredith's other side, where Sandy's head was lying and bent down to her and same as Meredith, he kissed her forehead, smoothing her hair.

"Why don't you want to sleep with them?" He asked her, bent down to her ear, as he was holding Meredith's waist walking along with them.

"I don't want to!" Sandy mumbled from her mother's sweater, with a little annoyed tone.

Meredith smiled up at him. "Usually we sleep together on Christmas Eve, to wait for Santa together."

Derek smiled rubbing her back. "I see!"

They walked upstairs and Meredith and Derek told the others Good Night and entered in their bedroom.

Derek took Sandy, who seemed to sleep deeply, and put her down in the middle of the bed. As he did that, Sandy stirred up in her sit.

"Mommy" She called sleepy for her mommy; she was trying to catch her view back from sleep.

"Mommy is here baby!" Meredith took a seat on bed and brushed the hair away from her face.

"Is Santa here?" she asked.

"No! Not yet baby; it's still night!"

Sandy nodded and after one more yawn, she moved on the bed's top resting her back against the headboard.

"Get in bed Sandy!" Meredith moved next to her too, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's getting late and Santa will find us awake!"

"I want to see Santa!"

"Yes, but you know that Santa doesn't like to find the children awake!"

"I'll spy on him, mommy!" Sandy's smile grew bigger and brought up on her face a naughty smirk.

Meredith started to laugh and pulled her into her arms kissing her head. "You're a naughty girl Sandy and Santa might not like this!"

"Mommy" she snuggled in her arms for some cuddle.

"Aww baby, what am I going to do with you?" Meredith lifted her up a little on arms and started to kiss her all over the face.

Derek had left the room for a few moments, but Meredith and Sandy's laughs brought him back faster.

"What is going on here? I thought you were sleeping?" He came over to them and took a seat in front of them.

Sandy stopped and stood up in her sit. "I want to see Santa this year and I am not going to sleep at all! Tell me a story daddy!" she jumped on his neck kissing repetitively his cheek.

"It's getting late sweetie and we have to shower too and get ready for bed!" Meredith told her. "Look…" she stood up then, walked over to one of their suitcases, and unzipped it. She took out a book and returned to her with it. "Let's watch over this book while daddy is getting his shower, ok?"

Sandy agreed seeing on the book's cover a Christmas tree and angels.

Derek let them to study the book, while he took his nightclothes and went to shower.

"I want to be an angel too, mommy!" The little girl looked up at her mother, after she had analyzed very careful each page from that book.

Meredith smiled wide hearing her and put the book down on Sandy's lap to be able to take her head in hands and kiss her. "You are a little angel sweetie!"

"No mommy, I want to be an angel like these ones!" She told her showing her with the finger the angels from that book. "I want to have wings and fly and I want to watch over you and daddy!"

Sandy's last words worried Meredith and scared her. "Baby you don't have to do that! We all have angels, who take care of us!"

"We do?"

"I told you we do!"

"You have one too, mommy?"

"Of course, we all have at least one angel!"

Sandy smiled and crawled back in her lap, resting her back and head on her chest. When she felt her mother's arm over her, Sandy started to caress it gently.

"Mommy?"

"What is it?"

"Can I try on my dress again?"

"The one for Christmas?"

"Yes!" Sandy switched her position on her Meredith's lap and turned around to face her. She saw her mother shaking her head and guessed that her answer for her plead will be negative. "Please mommy!"

"In a couple of hours it will be light outside and after we'll open up all the gifts from Santa, you will dress it up again!"

"Please mommy, five minutes!"

She took a puppy face and gave her the best smile, her key to any grown-up's heart.

"Five minutes and then you are going to sleep!"

Sandy nodded happy and moved from her lap to let her go.

Meredith was keeping Sandy's dress in her and Derek's closet, precisely not to let it in Sandy's hands. She opened the closet and took out a white dress. She removed it from hanger and put it down on bed carefully not to tousle it.

Sandy jumped up in her feet gasping when she saw her dress again and hurried on the bed's edge where the dress was and kneeled in front of it.

It was one of the dresses that Derek had bought it for her the other day; it was her favorite, but also the most expensive.

Meredith helped her to get out from her pajamas and put on the dress. It was a white with pink reflections dress, from a mixture of satin and silk material, with short sleeves and long enough to cover her knees a little. It was having a satin bodice, full tulle skirt with extra tulle underskirt for fullness. The dress was zipping up the back with satin buttons over the zipper and a satin waistband pre-tied a huge bow.

Meredith tied the last button and then she picked her up and took her over to the closet's mirror. She put her down and let her admire herself.

Sandy started to spin around, analyzing each side of her dress with a very proud smile. "This is my favorite dress!" She stopped and looked up at her mother with a big grin on her face.

Meredith bent down to her and cupped her little face. "You look beautiful! Like an angel!"

Sandy looked back in mirror giggling looking up and down to her image reflected in it.

"Ok, now you admired yourself enough, so lets put back the pajama."

"No mommy! Not now!" She looked up at her with a pleading face.

"Baby, we said 5 minutes!"

"Let's wait for daddy! I want to show him too!"

"I think it would be better if we'll surprise him tomorrow, don't you think?"

Sandy looked down disappointed and nodded.

Meredith helped her to get out from dress and while she was rearranging it on hanger, Sandy put back on the pajamas.

--------------------------------------------------

Derek found Meredith trying to convince Sandy to stop jumping in bed and Sandy laughing very amused by her mother's threats.

"Daddy, I am an angel!" Sandy jumped until the bed's edge straight to his neck.

Derek picked her up laughing and took a seat on bed with her on lap. "You are an angel indeed! A beautiful and very naughty one!" He continued to cause her hysterical laughs by tickling her tummy.

"I am not naughty! I am a nice girl!" She corrected him, when Derek took a break from tickles to let her breathe. "Right mommy?" Sandy bent her head over Derek's arm to look up at her mommy.

Meredith just smiled and shook her head.

"I am, mommy!" Sandy protested and got up in her sit when she saw that her mother didn't approve her.

Meredith took her face with both palms and gave her a kiss. "Prove it and go to bed!"

Sandy stood up from Derek's lap and ran back to pillows. She lifted up the covers and slide under them.

"But I want a story!" She considered that she deserves something in exchange for that.

Derek came to her and got in bed next to her. "I'll tell you a story!"

Sandy snuggled in his arms happy and put the head down on him.

Meredith took her own pajamas and left them in there, hoping that when she will come back from shower, Sandy will be sleeping.

When Meredith left the room, Sandy looked up at Derek with an arch smile. "I am going to spy on Santa, but don't tell mommy!"

"I am sure you will!" Derek laughed and pulled her back on him to make her listen his story.

Of course, she fell asleep in less than a minute since she put the head down on Derek. Derek smiled at the idea that she will spy on Santa through her dreams. He slipped under covers without disturb her too much and lied there with her in his arms. He could tell that she had fallen already into a deep sleep and by the smile on her face that she was having already a nice dream. Probably she was spying on Santa right in that moment. Derek watched her sleep brushing slowly her hair and thinking on what turn his life took and how many things had happened to him in less than a year.

"She is finally sleeping!"

Meredith returned in their room smiling when she saw how Sandy was resting in Derek's arms and how Derek was contemplating her.

At Meredith's whisper, Derek looked back at door and smiled nodding. "Right after you left!" He reached out a hand for her to come to him and when she came, he pulled her down a little and kissed softly her lips. "She wanted to spy on Santa!"

Meredith smiled and nodded looking at her. "And I think she has found him already!" That expressive was Sandy's face in that moment.

Meredith searched through her bag for her brush hair and when she found it, she went over to windowsill and took a seat on it. "It's snowing again!" She said eyeing Derek.

Derek gently moved Sandy away from him and put her down slowly, then got out of the bed and came over to her.

"May I?" He asked taking the hairbrush from her hand.

"Are you sure you can do it?" Meredith giggled, still keeping the hairbrush away from his hand.

"I have some experience" He said smirking and motioning the head to back, referring at Sandy. "And she never complained!"

Meredith's smile grew wide as she shook her head and handed him the hairbrush.

Derek took it from her and started to brush her hair, while their eyes moved out on window, watching how big snowflakes were landing down in garden and melting in the next second.

"Does Sandy remember any Christmas from the past years?"

"Just the last one, but I am sure that this one is going to remain in her memory for a long time from now on."

"Do you remember any specific Christmas from your memories?"

Meredith looked back at Derek smiling and took the hairbrush from him. "This one"

Derek smiled and bent down a little to kiss her "But from your childhood?"

"I am living my childhood through Sandy! It's wasn't very pleasant to be the daughter of Ellis Grey!"

Derek smile took a sympathetic look and pulled her into him to rest on his chest. "Then you and Sandy will have many memorable Christmas from now on… I promise!"

"I know!" Meredith said resting herself on him.

They soon got in bed next to Sandy and fall asleep joining that way to Sandy's excitement for Santa's arrival.

During the night, the door from their bedroom slowly opened and a small silhouette stepped in approaching on tiptoes to their bed. It gave a tour around the bed as if it was looking for something or someone in particular. When it found what it was looking for, it stopped at bed bottom and slowly dragged the cover.

"Sandy" Mia's voice whispered in that complete silence as if it was a shout.

When Derek rolled over to his bedside's edge, Mia kneeled in front of the bed to hide in case that Derek was waking up. She stayed like that for a several seconds until she was sure that the danger had passed.

Mia stood up on her feet again and very easily she climbed up the bed and crawled until Sandy's legs.

"Sandy" this time her call was deafly, but to make her attempt more successful, she started to nudge Sandy's legs.

Sandy stirred up confused at first, seeing darkness and her parents sleeping each of them on her side. She then recognized Mia's face through dark, and when she climbed down the bed and motioned to follow her, Sandy remembered their plan and slowly got out from covers and crawled to the bed bottom. She followed Mia on tiptoes outside the bedroom and let the door half-opened.

On hallway, Carrie was waiting for them sitting down and leaning against the wall with her knees pulled up under her chin. She stood up right away when she saw them coming out and grabbed Mia's hand. Because Mia was the oldest, she took their hands and led them along the hall trough dark until living room.

The Christmas lights were lighted on in tree and on porch, so downstairs the room was a little lighter.

All three of them stopped before walking in living room and looked at each other smiling. On a mutual sign, they walked in together and hurried to check the Christmas tree. They surrounded the tree looking careful under it after any sign of presents.

"There's nothing here!" Mia said disappointed and with a louder voice this time.

"He didn't get to us yet!" Sandy sighed also very disappointed looking down at the tree's bottom.

"Maybe it's better this way, because we can hide and see him when he will be here!" Mia's idea sprang out of nowhere and brought again the excitement on their faces. "We can hide behind the couch!" She told them pointing towards the couch from window.

"Let's check if the cookies are still there!" Sandy said and immediately ran to the coffee table where they had put the small snack for Santa. She was followed by her cousins and they all saw that everything was untouched.

"So he wasn't here!" Carrie said more to herself as if she would have been scared before, that Santa might have been there and left without dropping something for them.

They took a seat on the window sill behind the couch, three little faces leaning against the window and making small steams around them.

"It's not snowing!" Carrie cried with regret seeing outside just clouds and the same view as usual.

"I want to skate! Mommy promised she will teach me!" Sandy joined Carrie's sufferance and supported her pain with the same crying tone.

"I know how to skate!" Mia said a little more cheerful in her tone and without taking her eyes away from outside either. "Mommy taught me last year!"

Mia's confession caught Sandy's interest and making her forget for a while about their fears, she looked away at her. "Is it easy?"

"Yeah, it is very easy and fun, although I got many bruises and I hurt my butt!" she said kind of amused at that memory.

"I hope it will snow!" Sandy sighed and looked back out on window.

"If it won't snow we can still go to a skate rink and skate!" Mia informed her.

Sandy looked again at her curious, "We can?"

"Sure"

Sandy's eyes fixed again the view from outside with a little more hope that at least she will be able to do what she was having in plan for her holiday.

Their quiet chat moved to their lists for Santa and of course Santa must have received very long letters from them.

-------------------------------------------

Derek rolled over, back into Meredith's direction and as he fell back on that position, his arm fell over Meredith's waist.

When she felt his touch, Meredith moved closer and snuggled into him. Derek answered immediately to her movement and wrapped both arms around her.

As he was breathing in the scent of her hair, Derek opened the eyes and looked down in his arms a little confused. He could have swear that Sandy had fallen asleep with them, but she was nowhere around the room. He gave himself a few moments to wake up and clear his mind, not wanting to wake Meredith up if there was no reason to do it.

"Mer" He was sure… almost … that Sandy had fallen asleep in their bed, so he nudged Meredith slowly.

Meredith rubbed her nose and muttered something like "What do you want?"

"Mer, wasn't Sandy sleeping with us?"

Meredith opened the eyes and stood up in her sit. "She was?! She is not here?" She asked confused looking around them.

"No! Do you think she returned to her cousins?"

Meredith stood silent for a few moments trying to figure out what was going on around her. "No" She removed the covers and got out of the bed. "Where can she be at 3 a.m.?" She asked as she was slipping her feet in her slippers.

Derek left the bed too and led her outside.

They made a first stop in girls' room and they saw that only Laura and Chris were in there sleeping, Carrie and Mia were missing too.

"Where they can be?" Derek asked in whisper as they had walked out from their room.

"I know where they might be!" Meredith said and started to walk down the hall, climbed down the stairs and stopped in kitchen. Derek had followed her closely. Looking around there was a complete silence and dark. Meredith turned around and left seeing that and her next stop was in living room.

Stepping inside they gave a first look around, especially around the Christmas tree, but there was no sign of girls.

"They're not here"

"Yes, they are here!" Meredith said very sure of herself. "We just have to look more careful."

Meredith stopped him, when he wanted to turn on the lights. "There is enough light, so let's not scare them."

"How do you know they are here?" Derek asked her confused. The sleep had left him, so he started to search for the girls amused.

"I have a feeling." Meredith said looking behind and armchair.

"Wow, you should have become a detective then" Derek found it amusing to make fun of her.

"Haha" Meredith took her eyes away from searching for a second to look at him smiling.

"Whatever, but don't you think we should be worried? I mean where they can be at this hour?"

Meredith giggled quietly looking down behind the couch. "Call the police and we all are going to look like some fools." She said bending down.

Derek hurried to the place where she was and looking down, he smiled seeing the all three girls sleeping.

Sandy and Carrie were sleeping in their sits leaning against the couch back and Mia resting her head on the window sill.

"What is going on here?"

Kathleen's whisper almost scared Derek and Meredith when it came right behind them.

"I think they were serious when they said that they are going to spy on Santa" Derek chuckled and picked up Mia slowly in his arms.

"Silly kids!" Kathleen shook her head amused as she was collecting her daughter from floor.

Meredith did the same thing with Sandy; picking her up, Sandy wrapped the legs around Meredith's waist and sleeping she let her head rest on her shoulder. "Santa"

They all looked back at Sandy thinking that she might had woken up, but they smiled when they saw her still sleeping and probably dreaming on Santa.

"Let's wait for Santa in bed, angel!" Meredith rubbed gently her back and followed the others upstairs.

Derek and Kathleen put the girls back into their beds, while Meredith took her daughter in her room. She put her down on bed in middle and gave her a kiss on forehead.

"Check this out!" Derek returned in their room soon and hurried to take her hand.

"What?" Meredith didn't have time to wait for an answer since Derek was already dragging her out of bed. She hardly managed to remove the covers away from her and not to drag them after her when she got out of bed.

Derek led her to window and opened the curtains.

"OMG!" Meredith gasped excited by the view from outside. "It's still snowing!"

"And there's already snow everywhere" Derek put an arm around her waist and pulled her into him.

"This is going to be a fine Christmas!"

"It will be a perfect one!" Derek kissed her temple and hugged her with both arms. They stood there for a few minutes watching out on window the perfect view that the nature was creating for Santa's arrival.

"Let's go in bed, we don't want Santa to find us up and leave without dropping some presents for us too!" Derek looked at her smiling and let her body go just to cup her face and give her a kiss.

Meredith nodded smiling and followed him back in bed. They got under covers with Sandy between them and snuggled under them. It wasn't cold in their room, but the blizzard had started to be heard in their windows and it was giving them the feeling of cold.

"Mer?" Derek whispered after they warmed a little under covers.

"What is it?"

"Are you pregnant?"

Meredith remained quiet for a few moments. "No"

"Are you sure?"

"No"

"Ok" Derek answered after a few seconds. A small excitement present in his voice. "Good night Meredith!"

"Good night Derek!"

Sandy had fallen asleep facing Meredith, so Meredith took her little hand and fell asleep holding it. After a few minutes, Sandy took out her hand from Meredith's and rolled onto back, with her face turned to Derek and took care to let her arm fell over Derek's face and her leg stretching into Meredith's legs. They both opened the eyes instantly at her hits and smiled at each other. Derek took her arm away from his face and moved it over her abdomen keeping it there and Meredith grabbed her leg and moved it next to her other leg and took her legs between hers, therefore both fell back asleep wrapped around Sandy.

35


	16. NY, Day4The Fairy Christmas

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 15**

**NY, Day 4- The Fairy Christmas**

Each time when he knew he has to wake up on morning for something important, Derek was waking up before the alarm. That one was very useful to him in that morning, not wanting to wake up his girls scared by the sound of the alarm. He looked back over his shoulder to eye the clock from his nightstand. It was still early; 20 more minutes until 7 o'clock, when their wake up call was scheduled.

He would have got out of the bed to visit the bathroom, but he did not want to wake up any of them too early, especially Sandy; therefore, he stayed there brushing gently Sandy's hair. He loved to watch her sleeping- he actually loved to watch her all the time.

They were sleeping facing each other. Derek had noticed that in most of the times, when Meredith and Sandy were sleeping together, they were sleeping like this; and in most of the times, Meredith's hand was covering Sandy's hand. He wished he would become this close to Sandy, and have the same special bound as she has with Meredith. He loved her and Sandy loved him back, but still she was finding the comfort only in Meredith.

Both of them were sleeping peacefully with content expressions on their faces. Sandy was probably dreaming of Santa. Derek almost chuckled imaging her reaction to the surprise that David had prepared for them. He pulled the cover upper to cover her shoulder and continued to smooth her hair slowly.

All kind of images were running through his head at that hour, while he was watching them; the previous day and the unpleasant incident between Sandy and Joey; his efforts to regain a smile from her and her sweetness; Meredith's worries and her decision to go back to Seattle. He smiled when he remembered Sandy laying down on floor and spying on Santa, Meredith's possible pregnancy. Yes, that thought brought the biggest smile on his face so far.

He heard the door opening slowly and saw her mother's head sneaking inside.

"Wake her up and bring her downstairs in about 5 minutes!" She whispered looking careful at Sandy.

"Now?" Derek asked confused at first, but he nodded when he saw it was 7 o'clock already. He was happy that the time had flown so fast and soon he will enjoy probably the best moment from Christmas.

When Helen closed back the door, Derek bent over Sandy and kissed her cheek. Sandy took out the hand from her mother and brushed it over the spot where Derek's kiss had disturbed her sleep. Derek smiled and removed the covers from him, slipping out from bed. He walked over to window and opened the curtains wide allowing the white strong light to invade their room. Everything was white outside. It was still snowing impressive.

"Ok… you two sleepyheads… wake up now!" He said loud and very cheerful gaining some groans from Meredith and Sandy.

The daylight reflected immediately on Sandy's face, when Derek opened the curtains. Sandy covered her eyes with a hand and turned around to hide from it.

"Mer" Derek bent over her, nudging her slowly "It's time to get up!"

"Not now, Derek!" Meredith groaned and same as Sandy she sent one of her hands to remove the disturbance.

"Do you want to miss the Christmas and the presents from Santa?"

He knew his question couldn't stay without a reaction from them.

Sandy jumped up immediately rubbing her eyes sleepy and very fast she was up on her feet smiling broadly at Derek. She was completely awake, as if you would have said she faked the entire sleep.

"Mommy, it's Christmas!" She yelled extremely excited down to her mother.

Meredith woke up very fast and the sleep popped off, so she stood up. Derek gave her a hand for help to get out of the bed. When she was up on her feet, she leaned on Derek smiling and kissed his lips softly. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Mer!" Derek took her into his arms for another kiss.

"Come now!" Sandy shouted seeing what her parents were doing.

"We can continue it later!" Derek smiled pulling apart. He held Meredith's hand and started to walk to door.

"It's snowing!" Meredith gasped excited seeing outside on window the perfect white view.

In that moment, not even the snow was more important for Sandy than her Christmas presents, so she kept hurrying outside, without stopping a second, when her mother mentioned the snow from outside. She ran along the hall, meeting with Mia and Carrie on her way and they hurried together down on stairs towards living room.

The grown-ups were left somewhere far behind them. Meredith and Derek were in the middle of the hall when Derek reminded something and hurried back inside.

"I'll meet you downstairs!" He told her.

"_SANTA!!!!"_

This kind of shouts started to come from downstairs when the first kid got in living room.

Derek was so fast that he managed to catch up Meredith right when she was about to walk in living room. He showed her the camera he was holding with a proud smile on his face. He turned it on and then took Meredith's hand walking in living room.

All the younger kids where gathered around - Santa, who was by the Christmas tree.

"I think you caught me now!" Santa told them laughing. "I should have hurried, but Rudolf had to stop and pee!"

The children started laughing when they heard that and grabbed him by his sleeves and coat. They were all telling him how much they love him begging him in the same time to pick them up in arms.

The parents watched very amused how Santa was being captured by small statures, which were climbing on him like ants. Of course, Derek was recording everything on tape; his camera lens not leaving the kids not for a single second.

The older ones where sitting somewhere behind, watching them amused and of course less excited since they were already suspecting Santa's real identity.

Sandy was the one who remembered what a good host does and went to take the plate with cookies and the glass with milk from the coffee table. Helen jumped to help her, but Sandy shook her head refusing to accept any help from anyone. She carefully picked them up and walked slowly back to Santa, who had taken a seat down on couch. He saw her coming and to ease her way and to prevent a tripping, he motioned the others to make room for her.

"Thank you, Sandy!" He told her smiling and took the plate and the glass from her hands.

"You know my name!" She gasped excited when she heard her name.

"Of course I know your name! I know everybody's names and I also know everything about you!" He told them into a more serious tone. "Now I want you to tell me, which one of you was a good kid?"

Of course, they all raised the hands.

"I told you I know everything about you and about how good you were! You wouldn't lie to Santa, would you?"

Immediately their hands fell down and shy smiles were looking at him.

"That's much better!" Santa gave them a laugh ruffling Carrie's hair. He picked her up and set her in his lap.

Each of the small kids passed by his arms, bragging with all kind of things they had learned from their parents. Sandy showed him very proud how she was able to count to 15 and told him the Christmas poetry that Melissa taught her in daycare.

"Now because I put all your presents under the Christmas tree, I will reward you with a candy for your greeting!" He said to them searching through his sack and taking out a candy for each of them, including for their parents and their older siblings.

"Before I go, I want to tell what I heard and I didn't like at all about some of you!" Santa said looking down at kids, especially at Sandy and Joey.

They felt he was referring at them so they looked worried at each other.

"I don't like when two cousins are arguing and saying hateful things to each other!"

Now they were both sure that he was twitting them.

"You have to behave nice with your new cousin, Joey and you Sandy, don't push or hit him again! If you will do it again, then I can promise you that next year I will lose your addresses!" Santa took a grave tone and in the same serious manner, he looked down at them. "Can you behave with each other from now on?"

Sandy and Joey nodded their head looking down ashamed for Santa's twit.

"Promise?"

Again they gave them a nod.

"I promise" Sandy answered quietly twisting the hemline of her pajama blouse.

"I promise too, Santa!" Joey dared to look up at him and even to give him a slight smile.

"Ok then! I trust you! Now give me a kiss because I am running late and I still have one more house to visit!"

Every kid dropped him kisses, some of them just one, others two or even three, as Carrie did.

"I want to see your sleigh, Santa and the reindeers!" Mia stepped in front of the others and looked up at Santa with a huge smile on her face.

Santa found himself in trouble for a moment, not knowing exactly what to answer her, especially since the others expressed their wish too. He glared discreetly the grown-ups' amused faces and looked back down at his kids.

"I parked the sleigh a few blocks down and it's really cold outside, so it's not a very good idea for you to come out right now! You stay inside and open the presents ok? Maybe next year you will see the sleigh and the reindeers."

They all stood quiet and nodded in agreement.

"I am going now and I will be back next year… if you behave nice of course" he stopped a second from his track to give them one more warning. "And keep some cookies for your grandpa too, because he is an old man and he needs them!" Santa stopped after another steps, this time looking up at his wife too.

Santa walked out from living room towards the kitchen, followed closely by Helen while the parents suggested their kids to open the presents.

They all gathered around the tree and started to look between the packages each of it labeled with their names.

"Do you want me to help you with yours, Sandy?" Derek asked her switching off the camera and taking a seat down next to her.

"No!" She protested without taking the eyes from paper she was ripping off from a box.

"Don't worry Derek! She always does this; she will ask for our help when she will need it!" Meredith patted his back smiling and put the head down on his shoulder watching smiling how her daughter was struggling with each band and glued piece of paper.

Santa had brought her many toys, like dolls, fluffy animals and storybooks. She gasped excited when she opened a present and found in its box a big car.

Derek and Meredith looked panicked at each other.

Sandy took the car out of its box wheeling it down on floor around her. Her face was sending them happy smiles with each glance she was giving them.

It didn't take long and Joey's cry brought a complete silence in room.

"A Barbie doll?! Mommy… Santa brought me a Barbie doll!" He cried out showing the doll to Liz. "I didn't ask for a doll, mommy! I am a boy, not a girl!"

Derek slapped his forehead when he realized the mistake.

Meredith threw him a deadly glare and slapped hard his arm.

It was Liz's turn to glare her brother, when she saw the scene between Meredith and Derek.

"I am sure that Santa gave you the wrong present, but … we'll switch it with someone else!" Liz tried to calm him down.

"You can switch it with Sandy!" Derek said fast pointing to Sandy's car.

"Derek" Meredith protested knowing that Sandy wouldn't accept.

"You don't like playing with cars, Sandy, do you?" Derek asked her hoping for and affirmative answer.

"I do like!" Sandy suspected what was about to come next, so she took the car and hugged it with both arms against the chest.

"But you like the Barbie doll better, don't you?" Derek continued to convince her.

"I like this car better!" Sandy was now more convinced that they were thinking to take away the car from her.

Joey stood up and came over to her; he handed her the doll with one hand and extended the other one to her, waiting for his car.

"No" Sandy screamed furious hiding the car even more into her arms.

Meredith ran desperate the hands through her hair and pulled Sandy into her arms. "Come on Sandy, please switch the car with Joey's doll!" She told her kindly trying in the same time to open her arms. "Santa must have mislabeled the presents!" She said a little rougher glaring Derek.

"No! Santa gave it to me!"

"That one is my car, Sandy!" Joey protested throwing the doll down and grabbing her arms.

Liz and Meredith pulled them apart, Liz taking Joey away from her and Meredith still holding Sandy.

"Please Sandy, be a good girl and give the car to Joey and I promise I will buy another car!"

Sandy shook her head firmly at her mother's plead. "No! This is my car and it's from Santa!"

"Derek, don't just stay there!" Meredith snapped at him angry. "Help us!"

Derek looked at those angry kids and without knowing exactly what to say to them, he kneeled down at their level.

"Look what we are going to do…" he said a little hesitant since he didn't really know what they should do. "Santa has a reclamation office and we are going to send him a letter to let him know what happened." He paused a little smiling at the idea that hit him. "And I am sure that he will answer us and he will send you another toy car!"

Sandy looked at him distrustful, and then around her at her mother, her aunt and her cousin. Meredith suggested her with a nod to say yes.

"NO!" She yelled again.

"Great!" Meredith groaned and put her down from her lap to be able to stand up.

Liz kneeled in front of her pouted son and tried to convince him to give up. "We'll send the same reclamation to Santa and he will send you a car!"

"No" Same as Sandy, Joey was determined not to give up.

"I'll buy you a car too!"

"No"

"Two cars"

"NO!" Joey yelled at his mother.

"Wonderful!" Liz groaned same as Meredith and stood up starting to pace around.

Meredith picked up her daughter and walked over with her to window, right in the spot where the previous night they found her sleeping. She took a seat down on window sill with Sandy on her lap in that position so that she can face her. She cupped her pouted face and lifted it to look at her.

"Baby, did you hear what Santa said, to be good with your cousin?"

Sandy looked at her sad and nodded.

"Please make Santa and mommy proud and give the car to Joey! You are a big and smart girl and I am sure that you want to prove it to us. And let's give the others an example of what a good child should do, ok?"

"It's my car, mommy!" Sandy answered her silently and holding back a tear.

"Mommy can buy you another car! Santa didn't know you like cars and you didn't expect to receive one, right?"

Sandy nodded.

"But Joey wished for a car like this; try to imagine how disappointed he is because he didn't get it! What if Santa would have brought all your books to … Carrie for example?"

"I wouldn't have been happy!" Sandy admitted sad.

"See? Now you know how Joey feels right now! Please be a good girl and switch the present with him!"

"Ok mommy!" She answered her still with a sad voice.

Meredith brought her pouted face to hers and rested the forehead on hers. "Thank you sweetie! Now look what a beautiful view we have outside" She told her turning her face to window to see the white garden. "We are going to have a wonderful day and we are going to enjoy it, ok?"

"Ok mommy!" Sandy's voice cheered up a little when she saw all the snow from outside.

"No more pouted face!"

"No" Sandy shook her head smiling.

"Perfect, because you have to be very proud of your gesture! I love you sweetie!"

"I love you too mommy!" Sandy stood up on her knees holding the car in one hand and hang on her mother's neck.

Meredith hugged her and gave her kiss on cheek. She put her down and rearranged her pajamas. "Now go and give him back the car."

"Then can we go out and play in snow?"

"We have to eat something first!"

"Ok" Sandy smiled and ran back to the others.

She stopped in front of Joey and handed him the car. "You can have the car, Joey!" She told him smiling.

Joey grabbed it with both hands and once again the toy car hided in someone else's arms.

"Now it would be nice of you would say Thank you!" Derek told him, when he saw that Joey has no intention to show his appreciation.

"He is right, Joey! You have to say Thank you to Sandy!" Liz announced him too.

"Thank you Sandy!"

"You're welcome, Joey!" Sandy smiled proud listening her mother's advice. She turned around and since Derek was the one who was standing closer to her, she reached out her arms to him.

Derek picked her up and kissed her sweetly. "You're a good girl, Sandy!"

Sandy continued to smile proud and kissed him back.

"What happened in here? We heard shouts?" David walked in together with Helen.

"Grandpa" Carrie ran to him and stopped only when she got into his arms.

David picked her up and kissed her.

"Santa was here! We saw Santa!" Carrie informed him super excited.

"He was?" He tried to sound surprised.

"He was!"

"And why didn't you wake me up! I wanted to see him too!"

"Sorry grandpa!" Carrie giggled and hung on his neck.

"Did he bring me anything?"

Carrie shrugged as answer.

"But what was with those shouts?" David asked looking at the others.

"We had a small incident, but now everything is fine!" Derek told him pointing to Sandy and Joey.

David shook his head disappointed to see that not even Santa could make those two not to argue anymore.

"I want to go out and play!" Mia jumped up on her feet when she saw that everyone was happy again. She left her presents down on floor and ran towards window, gluing her face and hands on it. "I want to play in snow!" She said turning her head back to the others.

Carrie and Sandy asked to be put down by David and Derek and ran to window, where Mia was.

"I want to go out too!" Carrie said copying Mia's gesture.

"Me too!" Sandy wasn't late to join them.

"No, no, no!" Kathleen walked over to them and took them away from window. "First the breakfast and then the snow!"

Without too many efforts, they were convinced to go and eat the breakfast, while some of their parents started to pick up their presents to take them into their room.

--------------

"Are you mad of me?" Derek asked coming together with Meredith into their room.

Meredith tried to pretend mad by showing him a frown.

"I am sorry, Mer" Derek walked over to her and sneaked an arm around her waist. He knew she was faking because a small smile was hiding in her eyes. "I screwed it bad with the labels"

"Very bad, Derek!"

"Luckily…" he pulled her into his arms "We have a very nice girl"

"No, Derek" Meredith smiled playing his hair. "She has a smart mommy!"

"That too" He leaned on her claiming her lips.

Derek kissed her long and soft, bringing in both of them a strange warm feeling. He pulled the head away, but continued his cuddle with gentle caresses along her back.

"Will you tell me how did you make her change her mind? Will you share me your secret?"

Meredith hung her arms around his neck, resting the face in his neck's curve. "She loves her mommy and she doesn't want to disappoint her!"

"I hope I will have this too in the near future!" Derek said continuing to caress her back.

"Have what?"

"This bound!"

"You already have it, Derek!"

"You think?"

Meredith raised her head to look at him. "You have it! She can't stand to know you disappointed or mad on her small escapades!"

"But still- she cares more about what do you feel and how do you feel! She will always take your side!"

"Oh Derek" Meredith smiled impressed by his visible sadness. "Are you jealous?"

"I guess I am!"

"She takes my side now because she is little and because I have been her authority figure so far and I have to admit that I hope this won't change in the future!"

"You are that kind of parent, huh? Who wants to know that its kid loves it more than the other parent!"

Meredith just showed him a smile and kissed sweetly his lips.

Derek held her like that for another few moments, kissing and caressing her.

"We should go and eat too!" Meredith said resting on him.

"I have to go, so I will eat when I get back!"

Meredith pushed him away a little and looked at him. "Where are you going?"

Derek didn't give her an answer and started to rub her belly.

"Derek" Meredith pushed him away from her, breaking up the hug.

"What?"

"Come on Derek! Now if Sandy wishes for a brother or a sister, it doesn't mean that I am already pregnant!"

"Maybe you're not, but we still have to check!"

"Derek, it's a waste of money and time! I don't even feel pregnant!"

Derek grabbed her shoulders gently and pushed her to back a little until she touched the bed's edge. He then pressed on them and made her take seat on it. "Mer" Derek started kneeling in front of her. "I'll be back in less than half an hour and to pee on a stick it lasts less than 5 minutes!"

Meredith shook her head with disapproval seeing the excitement from Derek's eyes. "You are going to be disappointed, Derek!"

"I don't believe I will, Mer! I have a feeling!"

"Derek" Meredith giggled. "Did you diagnose me because you have a feeling? What kind of doctor are you?"

"I am a neurosurgeon and a very successful one, thank you baby!" Derek laughed giving her a quick kiss. "Now stop because nothing from what you say can make me change my mind!" Saying that, Derek gave her another quick kiss and headed to closet to look for some clothes.

"You are going to be so disappointed!" Meredith continued standing up too. As she headed to door, she heard her cell phone ringing, so she changed the direction of her track and went to search for it.

She first looked around, trying to find it. She saw the purse under some of her clothes, so she took it out.

"It's Izzie!" She said seeing the id.

"I'll go take a shower! Tell her I said hi!" Derek took his clothes and his towel and walked out from bedroom.

"Hi Izz! Merry Christmas!"

"_Hey Mer! Merry Christmas to you too! How are you doing?"_

"I am doing fine! We're fine!"

"_How is Sandy? I suppose she is on cloud nine! She is awake, right?"_

"Yeah, she is having the breakfast and no- she is not on cloud nine- she is on the 10th!"

"_So she received everything she wished for!"_

"And more!

"_Aww I miss her, Mer!"_

"I know Izz and believe me she misses you too!"

"_Now tell me how is Derek's other sister, how is Sandy feeling with her new family and how did you spend the Christmas Eve!" _

Meredith closed the door for more privacy and then she took a seat on bed sighing.

"_What happened?"_ Izzie asked her worried hearing Meredith's sigh.

"It could have been perfect, but she had to throw it that Sandy is not Derek's daughter! I am fine now and we all are fine now, but I can't forgive her for the pain she caused to Sandy!"

"_Oh no! And Sandy?"_

"She is fine now, but I am telling you, I was a step close to return to Seattle! You should have seen how bad she cried! Luckily, the rest of the family was very nice. She even met Santa, this morning!"

"_She did?"_

"Yeah, David dressed in Santa and played his role! You should have seen their faces!"

"_I am sorry for that, Mer!"_

"Me too! But now tell me how are you doing? How is everything there?"

"_Christina and Addison are at hospital and I am home preparing the Christmas dinner. Alex, Mark and the Chief are coming!"_

"The Chief?!" Meredith asked surprised. "Burke?"

"_That's him!"_

"Don't tell me!"

"_Oh yeah- they are back together!" _

"But she hates him!"

"_Seriously Mer, don't you know Christina? She would do anything for good surgeries!"_

"Even to go back to Burke!" Meredith said amused.

"_That's right!"_ Izzie approved her amused. _"But I still have news to give you, Mer!"_

"Then what are you waiting for? Spit it out!"

"_Alex asked me to move in with him- and I said yes!"_

"That's – uh, surprising, Iz!"

"_Hehe Mer, you wouldn't have believed that, huh?"_

"Sorry Izzie! I didn't, after all your run between Alex and George… yeah, it's surprising!"

"_It was from George to Alex, Meredith, but whatever, now I am with Alex and I am moving in with him!"_

"I am happy for you, Izzie!"

"_Thanks Meredith! Now can you put Sandy on phone for me! I want to give her the report about what Santa brought her!"_

"She's having the breakfast, but I will go downstairs to give her the phone!"

Meredith was about to walk out from bedroom, when she realized something.

"Oh no, Izz!"

"_What? What happened?"_

"Sandy- she won't be pleased with your news!"

"_I know"_ Izzie said with regret.

"Please don't tell her now! We'll tell her when we'll get back home!"

"_Sure, I understand!"_

"I am worried about her, Izz" Meredith delayed her leaving from bedroom and returned to sit down on bed.

"_Why?"_

"With all these changes; Derek's family, the fact that she has to share everything with other kids, she couldn't even decorate the Christmas tree this year!"

"_She didn't?!"_ Izzie asked surprised knowing that Sandy was the responsible one with that duty. _"Aww…Why?"_

"Here the older children are doing it, so as much as Sandy tried to get involved in it, she was kicked out each time, until she gave up!"

"_How about her angels?"_

"That was the only thing she was allowed to do!"

"_Her Christmas trees were always horrible, but very cute in the same time!"_

"Yeah, they were cute only because she was working so much on them! And now with your moving… I don't know how she will face all these! You remember how bad she hurt when she found out that we'll move and you can't move in with us!"

"_She is a strong girl, Mer! She will get used with all these!"_

"I hope she will and without too many tears!"

"_It's going to be a hard year for her, but she has you and Derek and we'll be around too! We won't leave her!"_

"I know! I am going downstairs to put her on phone!"

Meredith stood up and hurried outside.

"How _did Derek handle the events from yesterday?"_

Their talk continued during Meredith's way to kitchen.

"He took our side and it wasn't easy for him either! He felt guilty for that and he was ready to take us home if she would have continued!"

"_You're lucky to have him!"_

"I know! By the way, he says hi!"

"_Can you put him on phone for a second? I want to say hi back and to scare him a little if anything unpleasant will happen!"_

"Bad luck Iz! He is in shower!" Meredith laughed. Hearing Izzie's serious tone, she knew she would have scared him for real.

"_Ok, then let me talk with my little girl!"_

"Just a second! I am about to get to kitchen!"

Sandy was eating nice from her cereals, together with her cousins, when Meredith walked in.

"Mommy, look! I kept you a seat next to me!" She said patting the chair from her left.

"You did?!" Meredith was both: amused and impressed by her gesture.

"Yes, mommy! Sit here!" Just then Sandy saw the cell phone from Meredith's hand. "Who are you talking to?"

"Guess"

Sandy's eyes started to sparkle of excitement and let out a happy gasp. "Addie!" She shouted jumping off from her chair.

"No, it's not Addie! It's Izzie!" Meredith handed her phone. "Wish her Merry Christmas!"

Sandy took the phone from her and put it on ear. "Merry Christmas, Izzie!"

"_Merry Christmas to you too! But I must say that I am very happy to see that you were waiting for Addie!"_

Sandy didn't understand Izzie's little twit, so she let out one of her cute giggles.

"_I heard you received many presents from Santa and you even met him, it's that right or your mommy was making fun of me?"_

"It's true Izzie! Izzie?"

"_Yes sweetie?"_

"Did Santa leave something for me there?"

Everybody from kitchen smiled hearing her question.

"Sandy, why don't you go in living room? It's quieter in there!" Meredith suggested her and directed her to living room.

Right then, Derek walked in all dressed up and ready to go out.

"Derek, you really are serious?" Meredith asked him unbelieving what he was going to do.

"I am very serious!" He leaned to her smiling and gave her a kiss. "Dad, I need a car to go out!"

"Why? What do you need?" David asked him.

"I need to buy something!"

"Derek, we have everything we need in here!" Helen also told him a little confused. "It's snowing outside!"

"I need to take something from pharmacy, so I won't be gone long! Dad?" He asked David again waiting for keys.

"Are you sick? Is any of you sick?" Helen asked worried looking at Derek and then at Meredith.

"No mom; we are not sick! I just need to buy something, that's all!"

"If you need those, I can borrow you!" Steve said

"You can have them all because we are hardly using them, so why wouldn't we make a great gesture and help someone who really needs these!" Nancy answered on a reproaching tone to her husband.

"Omg Nancy" Kathleen jumped when she heard her sister. "You two have this kind of problems?"

"We…"

Nancy had wanted to start complaining to her sister and guessing that, Derek burst. "I don't need those either, so please dad!"

"Ok Derek! Come with me and to give you the keys!" David led him out.

"Derek please!" Meredith pleaded her one more time before stepping out. As answer, Derek gave her another kiss and followed his father.

Meredith felt their questioning eyes on her. "Uh- I'll go see if Sandy finished!" She said fast and hurried outside avoiding any question from them.

"What do you think he urgently needed to buy in the Christmas morning?" Steve asked curious.

"I don't know, but I have the feeling that they are having –LOTS of FUN" Nancy emphasized the last words suggestively for her husband.

"Nancy, please stop!" Steve snapped back.

"I should ask Meredith for some tips!" Nancy murmured. "Yep- She has to be my new best friend!"

--------------

Meredith found Sandy under the Christmas tree, playing with a globe suspended on its brabch and still chatting with Izzie.

When she saw the feet stopping in front of her, she looked up with a huge grin on her face. "Santa brought me a bike, mommy!"

"He did?!" Meredith tried to show her amazement making Sandy even happier about it.

"He did, mommy!" she replied fast with a very firm nod. "Ask Izzie!" She said handing her the cell phone.

"I believe you, Sandy, so I don't have to ask Izzie! But are you done? Because we have to finish the breakfast!"

"Izzie, I have to go and finish my breakfast!" Sandy put the phone back to ear and informed Izzie.

She nodded frequently with approving sounds.

"Merry Christmas, Izzie!" She said in the end and gave her mommy the cell phone.

Meredith took it and saw that Izzie had hung up, so she closed it.

After breakfast and a very long contradictory talk, Sandy agreed to dress in warm clothes instead of her dress and ran out to play.

Everybody joined the children play in the back yard.

It was snowing slowly with big snowflakes landing over the white décor; the wind was slowly blowing making the atmosphere even more suitable for a play outside than it was already.

There many loudly happy screams and snowballs thrown clumsy or dexterously- each of it getting a hysterical scream from the person who it had hit. There were also some swimming demonstrations through snow, very well represented by the youngest children.

Meredith decided she had swallowed enough snow and she had endured enough hits, so she joined Helen on porch.

"Shouldn't he be home already?" Meredith asked her worried referring at Derek. "He is gone for more than a hour!"

"I don't know Meredith- I tried to call him, but he doesn't answer!"

"This is because he didn't take the phone with him!"

"He will be here in a minute!" Helen tried to calm her down, though she was worried too. "Maybe he met with someone known and stayed for a chat!"

"Yeah-maybe!" Meredith stood up and looked back at Sandy. "Sandy, play nice please!"

"Yes, mommy!" Sandy continued fighting with snow together with Laura and she didn't bother looking at her mother.

"Would you please keep an eye on her?" She asked Helen "I'm going inside!"

"Don't worry about her, Meredith!"

When she was about to walk inside, Meredith ran into someone.

"The party started without me?"

Derek smiled broadly at Meredith and caught her into his arms when she hit him.

"Derek" Meredith and Helen sighed with relief.

"What took you so long?" Being worried Meredith slapped his arm angry.

"The car died and it took me a while to fix it, but-" he showed Meredith a proud smile and a paper bag. "Mission accomplished"

Meredith disapproved his smile rolling her eyes.

"What are you two hiding?" Helen asked them suspicious.

"I am not hiding anything! Derek is just – a little crazy!"

"I am not crazy Meredith, and I will prove it to you in about 5 minutes- now take the bag and go upstairs!" He dropped the bag into her hands stealing a quick kiss from her. "First I drink some water and then I will be up too!"

"Derek, Derek"

Carrie's shouts stopped Derek, right when he was stepping inside the house. He looked back and saw the little girl running towards him. To save her from the effort to climb the few stairs, Derek turned around, climbed down from porch and caught her when she landed in his arms. He picked her up shaking the snow down from her winter jacket.

"Play with us, Derek"

Sandy was right behind her, so she got to them soon after Carrie.

"Mommy, fix these!" She cried out showing her how the gloves were almost falling from her hands.

"Can you hold this?" Meredith looked back at Helen handing her the paper bag from Derek. Helen took it, so Meredith could help Sandy with the gloves and also fixed her scarf.

"Yes daddy, play with us!" Sandy had heard Carrie's plea to Derek so she pleaded him too while Meredith was rearranging her clothes.

"Mommy and I have something to do, but we'll be out with you soon, ok?" Derek looked down at Sandy and put Carrie down. "Now go and play!"

The girls ran back in snow and Derek took Meredith's hand. Turning around to get inside, they saw Helen staring at them with a huge grin imprinted on her face and the paper bag opened.

"Pregnancy tests?!" She asked dazed.

She said it loud, so a few another persons heard her and pointed their look over them.

Derek looked at Meredith with the same huge grin as his mother and kissed her cheek; then, he gave a nod as answer to his mother.

"No, I am not! It's just in his imagination! He wishes it too much!" Meredith wanted to clarify that situation.

"Let's go Mer and we'll see after who is right!"

Without any other comment, Derek took Meredith's hand, grabbed the paper bag from his mother's head and walked inside the house.

--------------

"H-How…" Meredith was staring stunned at the two tests from her hand. Her eyes were huge and the jaw was dropped. "How is it possible? He is right!" She continued to stare collapsed against the bathtub. The tests were both positive.

"_Meredith, what are you doing in there? It's time to come out!"_ Derek tried to bring her out, knocking insistent in the bathroom door, trying it each time.

Meredith seemed far-gone into another dimension. Just the two tests from her hands were having her entire attention.

"Do Sandy and Derek wish so much for a baby?" She continued to murmur silently.

"_Meredith, what are you doing in there?"_ Derek didn't want to give up._"Please Mer, come on out!"_

Meredith watched the door, looking like she was listening to him. She slowly stood up from the bathroom floor and put the tests on sink. Her eyes seemed like glued to them, not letting them out of her sight for a second.

She leaned the hands on sink and bowed her head. She took a deep breath and splashed some cold water over her face. She wiped it slowly and threw the face towel inside the sink. She took the tests and getting back to door, she unlocked it and opened it.

Derek was right in the doorway waiting anxiously for her answer.

"So?"

Meredith handed him the tests. "How could I be? I don't have any signs- I don't feel pregnant!"

While Meredith was rambling to herself, Derek looked at the tests. He was incredibly amazed- looking like he was about to explode of happiness.

His happiness exploded when he took her into his arms squashing her entire body. He pulled back just a little, to be able to hold her head into his hands and to look into her eyes.

"But you are, Mer- you are pregnant!" his voice trembled with emotion "We are going to have another baby!"

She wasn't sure what she should feel about this, but seeing him happy as she had never seen him, and looking into his teary happy eyes, Meredith felt herself overwhelmed and like- infected with his excitement!

"She will have a brother or a sister!" She told him smiling and totally lost into his warm embracement and kissed him fierily.

Derek answered with the same intensity to her kiss; it was an insatiable kiss and an insatiable desire to hold her like that forever.

"I want to tell Sandy first!" Meredith pushed him back a little.

"We tell Sandy first!" Derek kissed her one more time before taking her hand and leading her outside.

--------------

When they got in living room, they were surprised to see everyone in there waiting for them.

In the second Meredith and Derek appeared in their visual spot, they knew the answer. Derek wasn't able to hide his smile, so he was like an open book, very easy to read.

After many congratulations, hugs and kisses, Meredith pulled away from them looking around after the only persons she needed to kiss and hug in that moment.

She saw her daughter in standing by the couch with a happy face fixed on her mother.

Meredith kneeled and opened the arms to call her to her. Sandy didn't hesitate and ran into her arms immediately. Meredith hugged and kissed her daughter, letting her cuddle into her arms.

Sandy looked up at her with a mixture of confusion and joy written on her face. "You said you are not pregnant" She remembered their conversation from the previous evening.

"I didn't know it!" She said rearranging Sandy's messy hair; "How is it possible?" Meredith asked looking up at the rest of the family. "I don't have any sign of pregnancy- I don't feel pregnant!"

"Maybe you are one of the lucky women who will have the perfect easy pregnancy!" Carol said.

"You should go to a doctor first to confirm it!" Nancy advised them looking at Meredith and then at Derek. "It is possible to be a non symptomatic pregnancy, but it could be any another reason for which the tests are positive!"

"You are right, Nancy" Meredith stood up keeping Sandy under her arm. "She is right, Derek! We should not get too excited before consulting a specialist!"

"She is so wrong and the tests are so right!" Nothing seemed to be able to discourage Derek and to decrease his grin. He hugged her back wrapping his arm around Meredith's waist, both hands resting on her abdomen.

"Let's wait for a consult Derek!"

"You don't need a doctor to confirm it, but if you insist…" Derek kissed neck breathing then into it. "I can give you a consult- I am doctor too!"

"Derek" Helen snapped at him hearing his inappropriate tone.

"I can talk to someone for you to go this afternoon for a consult!" Nancy told her.

"But it's Christmas"

"Don't worry, she is a good friend of mine and unfortunately for her she works today!"

"Did you hear that, Derek?" Meredith looked back at him. "Wait until afternoon and only then we can celebrate!"

"Fine" Derek let his arms off her waist, holding her with just one hand on her hip "You can celebrate then and I will start celebrating right away!"

Meredith rolled her eyes amused at the others. "Don't cry later"

"Oh I will cry, but I will cry of happiness!"

Sandy had listened carefully everything that the grown-ups were saying about her brother or sister and this got her confused.

"Mommy" She patted Meredith waist to make her look down at her.

"What is it?"

"Are you pregnant or not?"

"We don't know for sure, Sandy!"

Sandy frowned with disappointment and her eyes fell sad over the carpet.

"She is, Sandy! Don't worry!" Derek wanted to assure her.

"Derek" Meredith looked back at him with reproach. "You can believe whatever you want to, but do not let her make illusions"

Derek smiled knowingly at Meredith and then he bent over Sandy. "Come up, Sandy!" He picked her up in arms kissing her red cheeks. He brought her head closer to him and whispered to her ear. "She is pregnant, but let's surprise her, ok?"

Sandy gave him a gorgeous smile and nodded.

"Ok then- this is our secret now!"

"Ok" Sandy agreed.

Derek put her back down and looked at the others. "I understand that we are not allowed to celebrate, but staying here and grieving it's not a very good idea either!"

"Well… we still have time until lunch, and because we are all cold and wet from snow, let's go change into some dry clothes and then it's time for a short story!" David suggested them and of course, everybody agreed.

--------------

"Derek stop grinning" Meredith groaned laughing.

Derek walked over to their bed and climbed in it getting next to Meredith. He leaned his back on the headboard and brought her into his arms.

"I am sorry, but I can't help it!" He said playing with her hair.

"Sandy will be very disappointed if these tests are false- and I will be disappointed too"

"Then don't worry, because you and I will have a lot of fun getting you pregnant!" Derek lifted her face to him, outlining her chin with his finger.

"But if I am or I will get pregnant, we'll have a big problem" She said pouted. "I will have a big problem!"

Derek ran his thumb over lips after her last word and kissed them softly. "What problem?"

"I will be a big fat bride in our wedding day"

Derek started to laugh hearing her worries. "You will be the sexiest big fat bride"

"It's not funny, Derek!"

"Ok then- we'll move the wedding date! We can get married sooner- let's do it before the New Year!"

Meredith shook her head firmly. "Not without my girls"

"We can bring them here!"

"And my wedding dress, their dresses?"

"Meredith, we are in New York- you can find here the perfect dress!"

"There isn't time, Derek! You can't plan a wedding in just a few days!"

"With mom, four sisters, Izzie and Addison?!" Derek looked at her smirking "You can have the perfect wedding!"

"Let's see what the doctor says first, ok?"

"Ok, ok now calm down! I don't want you to stress the baby" He said leaning down to her belly and kissing it.

Meredith opened the mouth to say something, but she knew it was useless, so she saved her words.

"Mommy" Sandy came running in their room panting. "You'll miss the story!"

"Oh yeah!" Meredith set up.

"She is right" Derek set up from bed too and offered her the hand to come "We don't want to miss the story!"

--------------

Everybody gathered in living room, beside the Christmas tree around Derek. They took all kind of seats, like the couches or on floor on the warm carpet, making themselves comfortable.

Meredith and Derek were laying on one of the couches, with Sandy resting on her mother's body.

"Before starting the story, I want to tell you that this story was recommended by Santa himself." David said looking in particular at the young ones. Of course, they were the ones who got excited hearing that. "And because he heard about the small incident from this morning…" He continued his short speech, but this time looking at Sandy and Joey "He asked me to read you this story and he wants all of you to listen it very careful. The story is called: "The Fairy Christmas"

During David's story, Meredith felt Sandy's gentle caress over her abdomen. Her eyes were fixed on David giving him her entire attention, but her little hand was caressing her mommy's tummy uninterruptedly.

Meredith gave Derek a discreet nudge and getting his attention, she gestured him to Sandy.

He chuckled silently raveling Sandy's hair, without receiving any sign from her. She was already in David's story land.

"I love you" Derek mouthed her smiling.

"I love you too" Her answer came as mutual as his.

Derek lowered his head, bringing her chin upper, he kissed her soft and long, not carrying too much of what was going on around them.

They didn't care, but someone was disturbed by their intimate moment.

They felt their cheeks gently hit by something soft. Meredith and Derek looked at each other smiling, when they saw Sandy still looking like she was far, far away gone and her hand coming back over Meredith's abdomen. Meredith took it and squeezed it gently holding it after that in hers.

--------------

"Now can any of you tell me what did we learn from this story?" David ended the story and asked his listeners.

They all knew that the question was for children, so they all stood quiet waiting for the answers.

Because none of them seemed to want to answer, David spoke again.

"We should not fight or argue with each other for things like toys or cookies. We have to be very grateful for everything we have; we have to be grateful to Santa for all the presents he brings us. There are many children in this world who don't have what we have now: many toys, nice clothes and delicious food. Some of them have just one car or one doll to play with, because they are too poor to afford more."

"But why they don't ask Santa to bring them more toys?" Laura asked him.

"Because they ask for what they need more; they ask for food, warm clothes or even for a small house to live in with their parents. You are not in the mood to play, when you are too hungry or too cold, right?"

The kids answered him with nods.

"This is why we should share everything we have with each other and with those who have less than us; and never ask for what we don't really need, just because your cousin or your friend has and you don't."

Sandy climbed up a little more on her mother and put the head down on her shoulder.

"I don't need a toy car!" She whispered to her mother's ear.

Meredith smiled hearing that and kissed her forehead, caressing in the same time her little back.

**---------------------**

**I am not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I tried to make it better, but lately my writing skills are low.**

**This was the last chapter from their visit to NY and the next one will bring them back home to Seattle and will inform you if Meredith is indeed pregnant and if they got married, as Derek proposed.**

**If you don't know the story "The Fairy Christmas", please go find it on google. I read it and it's wonderful.**

**I have so many ideas for the upcoming chapters, I just hope that I will be able to put them down on paper.**

**Please review. Let me know if you like it or if you don't. Also, please let me know where I go wrong with the writing, because since English is not my native language, I am afraid that I am not capable to figure it out by myself and I am that kind of person who learns from mistakes.**

**Thank you all for reading my story!**

22


	17. Facing the changes

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 16- Facing the changes**

Their airplane landed late that after noon, so they were returning home as they left- on dark.

It had been a white Christmas for Seattle too; the snow was still over the trees and the weather was cold looking as if would start snowing again.

Five minutes ago Sandy was telling them how excited she was to see Izzie and Addie again, how anxious she was to give them the presents they had bought for them, but most of all how anxious she was to ride the new bike from Santa.

All of the sudden she got quiet and Derek could see in the rear view mirror that she had fallen asleep on her seat.

Meredith was continually rubbing her legs with both palms, nervously and staring outside on window.

"Are you alright?" Derek saw her fussiness. He knew what was going on with her, but he hoped he could distract her somehow from her worry.

"Yeah" Meredith looked over at Derek, nervous and chewing her lower lip.

Derek gave her a glance smiling, continuing to pay attention to the wet road and took a hand off the wheel to run it over Meredith's lips. "Please save your lips!" he told her smiling. "I love kissing your lips!"

Meredith smiled and stopped with her habit. Derek calmed down her lips, but her palms continued to rub on both legs.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Derek asked her again, this time referring at her other sign of fussiness.

"Yes, Derek- I'm fine!" Meredith tried to answer him into a casual manner.

"Are you cold? Because I can crease the heat if you want!" Derek put the index over the climate button and looked down at her legs.

Meredith saw where his eyes were located and stopped with the rubbing and crossed the arms against the chest. "I am a little cold- and hungry!"

Derek chuckled as his hand quickly caressed Meredith's abdomen. "Of course you are hungry- you're pregnant!"

Meredith smiled doing the exact same thing as Derek, after he had taken his hand from her.

"And you were scared that you don't have any sign of pregnancy!" Derek added.

"I don't know how it would be better: without morning sickness but eating in continue and become a big cow or low appetite and throwing up at every minute."

"The baby knows what's best for it and for its mommy!"

"I guess it does!" She said resting her head on window and watching outside.

Derek saw that she had returned to her worries. "She will be fine, Meredith! She is a smart girl and she will get used with it soon!"

Meredith moved her eyes on Derek, when she heard him and kept her head against the window. "I don't like to see her suffering, Derek! I don't want to see her crying!"

"I don't like this either, Meredith, but we can't prevent it! The tears and the sufferance are part of our lives; we all cry and suffer sometimes. Besides- Izzie's moving is not a tragedy!"

"Derek" Meredith snapped quietly looking back at Sandy. Sandy was still sleeping, so she hadn't heard Derek.

"Sorry" Derek said silently. "She will see that Izzie will not abandon her! It will be hard for her at beginning, but she will get used with all the changes, trust me!"

"Do you promise?"

"I promise!" He looked for her hand to take it and squeeze it as encouragement. "She is a brave girl!"

"Yeah- she is" Meredith smiled looking back at the seats where Sandy was sleeping.

-------------

Derek pulled the car in front of their building and stopped the engine.

"It has been a long day and it will continue to be!" Meredith sighed heavy removing the seatbelt from her.

Derek leaned to her and kissed her cheek. "She is still sleeping, so probably she won't have to find out today!"

Meredith nodded, but his words did not make her feel better.

Derek was the first one who got out of the car, helping then Meredith. He also opened the door from the backseats and slowly picked Sandy up, closing then the door.

"Mommy" Sandy mumbled sleepy when Derek disturbed her sleep to pick her up.

"No Sandy, it's daddy!" Derek was getting a little jealous, each time that Sandy was calling for her mother first.

"Daddy" She mumbled again and put the head down on his shoulder.

Derek smiled very proud at Meredith and leaned on car to embrace his daughter.

Meredith rolled her eyes and started to tap the ground with the foot. "Are you going to let me carry all the baggage upstairs while you are embracing the fact that she said daddy?"

"Oh yeah" Derek chuckled and gave Sandy to Meredith.

When Sandy was moved from Derek to Meredith, she started to fuss again. "Mommy"

Meredith looked over at Derek, who was taking out some of their suitcases sticking out the tongue at him. "Yes baby! Mommy!" She told her softly rubbing gently her back. "We are home, Sandy!"

"Seriously Mer, now even Sandy's is more grown-up than you!"

Meredith smiled repeating the gesture with the tongue.

In the meantime, while Meredith and Derek were fooling with each other, the cold wind from outside woke Sandy up. She kept her head down on Meredith's shoulder, her eyes analyzing the surroundings. At first, until her vision was clarified, she watched the cars and the persons who were passing by them, and then her eyes recognized something that she had missed.

"Look mommy!" Instantly she raised the head and pointed it with the finger.

Meredith turned around curious to see what got her attention. "What is it?"

"The park!" She almost shouted with excitement.

"Yes, that one is our park! Did you miss it that much?"

Sandy nodded as answer.

"We'll go to park tomorrow, ok?"

"No mommy! Let's go now!" Sandy adopted a pleading tone smiling slickly at her mother.

"It's dark outside, can't you see! We'll go tomorrow, I promise!"

"Please mommy! Five minutes!"

"Aren't you afraid of dark anymore?"

Sandy shook her head smiling. "Daddy is coming with us!"

"She is right, Meredith! Let's go- it looks like there is a lot of snow in there!" Derek was looking too towards the park.

"Derek"

When Derek looked back at Meredith, he met her deadly glare. "C'mon Mer! Five minutes!"

Meredith put Sandy down and once she did that, Sandy ran to Derek, taking his hand. "Let's go!"

Derek looked at Meredith waiting for her to join them.

"You go and walk in park and I – I will go say hi to Izzie and Addie before they go to bed!" Meredith said it with a casual tone, indifferent and showing them that what she wants to do it was much better than a walk in park.

Of course, she also knew that her daughter would not pass by what she said with indifference.

Sandy looked up at Derek smiling and dragged him to Meredith. "I want to see Izzie and Addie too!"

Derek gave up laughing and let her hand go to take the suitcases. "You won this time!" He told Meredith opening the truck.

"What can I say- you cannot beat me that easy!" Meredith giggled taking Sandy's hand. "And what do you think you are doing with these?" She asked smiling seeing that Derek had taken out only two suitcases and then he shut the truck down.

"I am carrying them inside"

"Only 2 suitcases, Derek?"

"Mark said he will be here so I will take him with me to help with the rest! Now don't worry about this and let's head inside!"

Derek locked the car and followed Meredith inside the building.

The cold weather and the excitement of seeing Addie and Izzie again, brought Sandy back to her vitality. As they walked inside the building, Sandy ran straight towards the elevator.

"Sandy, stop immediately!" Meredith shouted after her commanding her to stop from running and wait for them.

Sandy stopped only when she reached the elevator and took an anxious position waiting for them to come, tapping the floor with her foot and the hands very well propped on her hips. "Hurry up already!"

"Hey, hey! Watch your tone!" Derek answered her immediately very serious and accusing for her commanding tone.

Sandy let her hands fall from her hips and turned around watching the elevator.

Derek saw the way that Meredith continued to smile at him. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Yeah" Meredith giggled and sneaked an arm around him. "A daddy face"

"I've started to figure out how this works!" Derek laughed and leaned on and kissed her.

"See? It's not hard and it doesn't kill anyone!" She said referring at the way that Derek put Sandy to respect.

"It kind of kills me!" he said and bent to her ear. "It kills me her pouted look" he whispered slowly looking at Sandy.

"Trust me, it doesn't kill you!" She leaned against his arm and patted his chest. "It only makes you stronger!"

Because of Derek's twit, Sandy didn't even dare to press the button to call the elevator. When her parents got to her, she looked up at Meredith trying to see if she was better with her at that hour than Derek was.

Meredith knew already that look. "What are you waiting for?" She asked her. "Press that button already or you want to spend the evening in lobby?"

Her mother's look was as serious as Derek's, but because she received her approval, Sandy leaned on wall and pressed the button.

The elevator was there after just a few seconds, so Sandy jumped in and stopped in front of the button panel, and Meredith and Derek followed her. Derek put the suitcases down and when the door closed, he picked Sandy up, so that she can reach and press the button for their floor. First, she looked back at Derek to be sure that he wants her to do that and after she saw him smiling, she smiled back and her index finger pressed the 10th floor button.

Derek put her back down and Sandy moved in the back of the elevator and leaned against the wall looking up to her parents.

When the doors opened, she ran out fast, leaving them inside. Derek and Meredith stepped out too and saw her running towards the stairs.

"Sandy, where are you going?" Meredith called her. "We live here, remember?"

"To Izzie and Addie" Sandy answered without stopping and starting to climb up the stairs.

"Sandy, get back in here, now!" Meredith wanted to go after her, but Derek's hand stopped her.

"Let her, she will come back when she will see that none answers to their door!"

"Derek"

"Let's be the first ones who says hello to them! Come!" Derek took her hand and led her to their door.

Meredith's eyes were looking worried back at Sandy. "But she has never been up alone! What if she gets lost?"

"Mer, she is a very smart girl, so I am sure she will find her way back home!" Derek smiled sticking the key into the latch. "If she doesn't, then a neighbor will find her and bring her home!"

"Yeah and that will make me an irresponsible mother!"

"No it won't!" Derek smiled and kissed her. He pushed the door open and walked in. The lights were on and some voices were coming from living room.

"_They are finally here!"_ Izzie's voice could be heard as she was coming to them.

After a few seconds, one by one started to show up in hall and greet them. The first one was Izzie, then Addison and Mark, Christina and the last one, Alex.

Derek dropped the suitcases down, took Mark's hand and shook it, while the girls hesitated to go and hug Meredith.

"Well it's nice to see you too!" Meredith smiled looking at them.

Christina came over and hugged her. "Hi Mer, but I think you forgot something!" She said stepping back.

"What did I forget?" At first, Meredith asked confused, but then she thought she guessed what she forgot! "Oh no" She giggled. "We didn't forget the gifts, don't worry!"

Addison and Izzie looked at her strangely.

"Umm- Mer?" Addison started a little hesitant "When you left you were three, and now you came back two"

"No, actually we came back four!" Derek announced her very proud.

"Oh that's right Derek!" Mark pulled him into a hug "You're going to become a daddy!"

"Again" Derek completed him patting his back.

"Again" Mark pulled back laughing. "I can't believe you've fallen that low!"

Derek slapped his arm laughing. "At least you are still on high horses!"

"Hey, somebody has to save the appearances!" Saying that, Mark met Addison's glare, so he looked away smiling.

"Whatever" Izzie cut them. "Meredith, where is Sandy? Do you remember her, your first daughter? What did you do with her? Did you abandon her already?"

Meredith walked in living room and threw her coat laughing on a chair. "She is probably knocking desperately at your door right now!"

"What? Why?" Addison asked shocked looking at her and Derek.

"Oh, Derek found it amusing to make fun of her a little! By the way Derek, shouldn't she be home by now?"

"Relax Mer! She has two flights to climb up and two to climb down!"

"You two are horrible!" Izzie said disapproving what they were doing to Sandy.

"Derek's horrible!" Meredith jumped immediately pointing to Derek.

Derek caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her and took a seat on couch dragging her after him to sit down.

"Derek" Meredith pushed him away. "I think you have something to do!"

"Oh right!" Derek stood up. "Guys, you have to help me with the suitcases!" he told Mark and Alex gesturing them to follow him.

"I hope you brought me many gifts for this!" Mark followed him frowned.

"Derek, if you see Sandy, bring her home!" Meredith shouted after him.

Derek left the apartment together with Mark and Alex to go and bring the rest of the luggage.

"So you are indeed pregnant!" Addison joined Meredith down on couch.

Izzie and Christina followed her sitting down around her.

"I am so happy for you, Mer!" Izzie squeezed her arm excited.

"Thanks Izz! Yeah, the doctor confirmed it! I am three weeks pregnant!"

"And still no morning sickness?" Addison asked her.

"Nope" Meredith answered proud. "At least not yet!"

"How about the wedding?" Izzie asked her. "Did you think to change the date?"

"Well- Derek and I talked about it and because Sandy was thrilled by the idea, we are going to get married on her birthday! This way she will have a big party and the prettiest dress ever!"

"So she is excited about all these- the wedding, the baby!"

"Yeah" Meredith laughed remembering something. "I still can't believe this; Sandy and I talked about another baby and immediately she expressed the desire to have one as soon as possible and I didn't think that Derek would get caught by this so easily! The next day he bought the tests and I was pregnant!"

"This is so cute! To find out you are pregnant on Christmas day! This is the best present ever!"

Meredith nodded smiling at Addison. Despite the mean things that Liz and her son said in the Christmas Eve, it had been her best Christmas ever, especially seeing her daughter that happy. She smiled remembering all the great moments they spent there, hugging the tummy with both arms.

"Life is such a bitch sometimes!" Christina said looking ahead very disappointed.

Her friends stopped from laughing and dreaming and looked at her strangely. She seemed completely down.

"Uh- Christina? Are you- ok?" Izzie asked her quietly.

Christina sighed heavily. "Sure, everything is just freaking perfect: Meredith is becoming a mommy more and more each day, Izzie is looking like she will soon become one too, Addison has all the amazing sex with Sloan!"

"But you have Burke!" Meredith said to her naturally as if Christina didn't have any reason to complain about!

"How do you know?" Christina jumped when she heard that.

"You are?!" Addison's jaw dropped when she heard Meredith.

"Izzie" Christina snapped at her nervous.

"Sorry" Izzie made herself small in her seat mouthing at her guilty.

"Oh, so this is a secret, huh! I can't believe that you keep secrets from us!"

"Yeah"

Meredith and Addison accused her.

To change the subject, Christina knew very well what she has to say. "Did you prepare Sandy for the big news?" She asked Meredith referring at Izzie moving.

Meredith's cheery face darkened remembering her fear. "No" She shook her head quietly.

"Don't worry, Mer! We are here and will take care of her!" Addison tried to comfort her. "Plus, she has all the presents that Santa left here for her."

"Thanks Addison, but I doubt the presents will help her!"

Addison nodded knowingly rubbing her arm for comfort.

They heard the door opening, and judging by the silence that came with it, they knew Sandy was back. Meredith stood up and made them a sign to stay quiet, while she went and greeted her daughter.

She saw Sandy extremely pouted shutting the door.

"What's the matter, Sandy?" Meredith went over to her and kneeled down in front of her.

"They are sleeping" She answered extremely disillusioned.

"Oh, come here!" Meredith took off her cap, unwrapped her scarf and unbuttoned her jacket. "I have a surprise for you!" Meredith offered her the hand and led her towards living room.

From the first step she made inside, Sandy gasped of excitement and let her mommy's hand running inside.

"Izzie, Addie!"

Izzie and Addison were already up waiting for her. They caught her in their arms, both hugging her in the same time.

"I missed you Izzie, Addie!" She pulled back a little after a short hug, her eyes almost tearing of joy.

"Oh, we missed you too sweetie!" Addison gave her a kiss and brushed her hair with her fingers. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"

"I did, Addie!"

"That's great sweetie!"

Sandy looked over at Izzie waiting for some words from her too. When she looked at her, Sandy saw Izzie's crying. "Why are you crying, Izzie?" She asked her softly caressing her gently her cheek.

Izzie sobbed and took her little hand into hers kissing it and resting it on her cheek. "I missed you too Sandy!"

Sandy smiled and jumped on her neck hugging her tight. "Now I am back!"

"Yes" Izzie was now crying very hard. "I am so happy to have you back."

Addison and Meredith looked at each other completely shocked by Izzie's reaction.

"Izzie, please pull yourself together!" Meredith told her.

"I am sorry!" Izzie broke the hug from Sandy and stood up wiping the tears.

"Don't cry, ok?" Sandy looked up at her with her sweetest smile. "I am here now!"

If after Sandy's advice Izzie nodded, when Sandy told her those last words, Izzie burst into a harder laugh and ran to bathroom.

"Mommy" Sandy looked back at Meredith looking very worried and sad.

"She will be fine, Sandy! Don't worry, she- she had a hard day!" Addison hurried to calm her. She picked her up in arms and Sandy winced when Addison's arm pressed over her butt. "What is it?"

"I fell on ice while I was skating! I can skate now, Addie!" Sandy bragged very proud.

"This means we can now go together and skate!"

"Really? Can we?"

"Of course we can! Guess where?"

"Where?"

"In our park"

Her smile was now almost as big as her face. "Mommy promised me we'll go tomorrow! Will you come too?"

"I will certainly come too!"

"Did you hear that mommy?"

Meredith became even more nervous than she already was, when she saw Izzie's reaction. She knew that if Izzie would not help with a calmer mood, Sandy would be devastated by her news.

Sandy's question caught her attention and nodded smiling, trying to look calm. "That's great! I will go see if I can help Izzie to feel better!"

"I want to come with you!" Sandy said bending over Addison's arms to be put down.

"No, you stay here and tell Addie about how that woman spilled the coffee in her husband's lap." That one was a scene from airplane with an argue between a woman and her husband and which apparently had amused Sandy very much.

She left Sandy to tell everything about that to Addison and she headed to bathroom to check on Izzie.

She knocked on door and opened it without waiting an invitation from Izzie. Meredith found Izzie sitting on the toilet seat crying. Meredith closed the door and then took a seat on the bathtub's edge.

"I'm- I'm sorry Mer!" Izzie started to hiccup because of the sobs. "I can't- we can't- we can't tell her! It will- break her heart!"

"If you don't calm down, we won't be able to help her! Please Izzie, try to calm down! What brought you in this state?"

"Haven't- you heard-her?" Izzie took some toilet paper and blew the nose in it. "She missed me and- and she was so- so sweet and- I can't- we can't tell her-not today!"

Meredith slipped down along the bathtub and took a seat down on floor. "We still have to tell her one day! When are you moving in with Alex?"

"I could have moved in with him from the day he asked me to, but I didn't want to do it before telling it to Sandy first. Now-" She sighed heavily "- I don't know!"

--------------------------

Sandy was ridding her new bike supervised by Addison, when Derek and the others returned upstairs with the rest of the luggage. Sandy heard Derek's voice so she hurried with her bike to greet him.

"What's that?" Derek acted surprised when he saw her coming on that bike. "Where did you steal it from?"

"I didn't steal it daddy!" She giggled. "Santa brought me!"

"He did?!"

"Yes, do you like it?"

"I do like it! It's- very pink!" Derek put his suitcases down and walked over to her.

Right in that moment, Alex walked in too, followed by Mark, carrying the rest of suitcases.

"Look Mark!" Sandy called him very excited to see her new bike.

"Cute and pink, Sandy! How are you?"

"I am fine!" She said paying attention to the stickers with butterflies from handle bar.

"Now get off the bike, Sandy! I don't think mommy likes to see riding it inside!" Derek told her and gave her the hand to get off.

Sandy's eyes were glued to it, but she got off from it. "Mommy is in bathroom with Izzie!"

"She is? What are they doing in there?" he asked her.

"Izzie had a hard day and now she is sad and cries!" For the first time in the past minutes, Sandy took her eyes away from bike and looked up at Derek with sad eyes.

Derek looked at Alex, but Alex shrugged.

"What happened with Izzie, Addison?" Alex asked her.

"I think it's because, you know-" She said pointing with her head down at Sandy "she has to tell her" Addison continued and said it without words.

"Oh" Alex understood and nodded.

Sandy took Derek to show him what else Santa had left for her at Addison, while Meredith was still in bathroom with Izzie.

Because they were late to come out, Derek decided to go and check on them.

He knocked on door and waiting for one of them to call him in.

"_Come in"_ Meredith was the one who did it.

When he opened the door, Meredith and Izzie were on the same seats as earlier, just that this time, Izzie wasn't crying that hard anymore.

"Is everything alright?" Derek asked a little concerned seeing them so depressed and especially seeing Izzie crying.

Meredith offered him the hand to come and join her. Derek took it and took a seat down next to her.

"Apparently, Izzie is having difficulties with the break up from Sandy!" Meredith informed him. "She says we should wait for a few days before telling her!"

"I can't do it now, Derek! She is- I don't want to make her suffer and I don't want to ruin her first night back in Seattle."

"One day: tomorrow, next week, next month, we will still have to tell her; what are you going to do until then, put you relationship with Alex in stand by because of a little girl? Do you think that Alex will wait for you until will be ready to break up with Sandy?" Derek asked Izzie.

"Sandy is not just a little a girl for me, Derek!" Izzie replied a little offended. "Do you have any idea how fond I am of her? And Alex will have to understand that this is not easy for me!"

"Then why did you agree to move in with him if you are not ready?"

"I am ready- I just didn't know it will this hard."

"It's not easy for either of us Iz, but we have to move on and face the changes!"

Izzie looked strangely at Meredith as she said that. "Earlier you agreed with me!"

"I did, but Derek is right! I hate to see her suffering, but I she will suffer tomorrow as much as she would suffer today; let's just tell her!"

Derek put an arm around Meredith pulling her into him. "She will be fine- she is Sandy! Addison will walk her tomorrow with her new bike!"

"And we'll go to the skating rink!" Meredith added.

"Ok" Izzie wiped one more tear and stood up to wash her face.

Derek helped Meredith to stand up and waited for Izzie to be ready.

"Just try to stay calm, ok? It won't help her if you keep crying!" Derek told her.

"I will try!"

"Let's eat something first!"

"And you said you don't have any sign of pregnancy!" Izzie managed to smile a little when she heard Meredith.

"That's exactly what I told her!" Derek let out a chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist kissing her temple.

"I am so happy for you two!"

"We are happy too!" Meredith said smiling at Derek.

Derek kissed softly her lips and led them outside from bathroom.

--------------------------

"Izzie" Sandy jumped up on her feet when she saw her parents walking inside with Izzie. "Are you better now?" She asked her gently and a little worried.

"I am better now, Sandy!" Izzie bent to her and picked her up in arms.

Sandy caressed with sweetness her cheeks kissing them both. "Now you are fine!" She pulled back smiling proud as if her caresses and kisses helped her.

Izzie kissed her back and put her down. "You are an excellent doctor, Sandy!"

Sandy giggled and shook her head. "I am not a doctor, Izzie!"

"Yes you are; you are special doctor who heals with love!"

Sandy took her hand very happy and dragged her to couch. "Sit here!" She patted the place where to sit, between Addison and Alex.

"Ok" Izzie didn't dare to comment anything so she did as she had been told.

"Mommy" Sandy looked up at her. "Mark and Christina want their presents!"

"They do?! Well in this case you will give them their presents after you give the others." Derek told her smiling at Mark and Christina. Then, he went and brought the suitcase with presents. With Sandy's help, he unzipped it and opened it.

Because she was the one who helped Meredith to pack the presents in bags, Sandy knew very well which bag was belonging to who. Since Izzie was sad after her hard day at work, Sandy found it right to give her first the presents. After Izzie, it was Addison's turn and then Christina, all of them thanking her for everything liking it or not too much. When Mark's turn came, Sandy took his back and walked over to him.

"This is for you, Mark!" She told him smiling and handing him the bag.

"Thank you, Sandy!" Mark took it and looked inside of it. At first, he took out a perfume and opened it to check it fragrance. "Hmm, not bad! Did you choose it?"

"I did" Sandy nodded very proud. She came in front of him and looked inside the bag. "There is something else for you in there!"

Mark looked inside and indeed, there was something wrapped in a paper. He took it out and unwrapped it, his jaw dropping when a big white sweater was revealed.

"Do you like it?"

"Um- it's pretty!" Mark started to ramble. It was obvious for all the rest of them that he wasn't thrilled at all. "But I don't wear sweaters, Sandy!" He told her trying to say it without hurting her feelings.

At Sandy's disappointed look, Addison nudged him very hard.

"What?" He protested wincing and rubbing the spot between his ribs.

Addison threw him a deadly glare and motioned him to do something about Sandy's actual mood.

Mark rolled his eyes annoyed and faked a smile for her. "But I still love it, Sandy!"

Addison sent him another nudge to continue.

"And I will wear it- one day!"

Sandy got her smile back came between Addison and Mark resting on their legs and waiting to see what would happen next.

"Why are you standing there? You didn't give the presents to Alex!" Meredith told her.

"I didn't buy anything for Alex" She said it very naturally shaking her head firmly. "I don't like, Alex!"

"Well I don't like you either!" Alex sniffed at her and stuck out his tongue at her as if he was 4 years old just like Sandy.

"Alex" Izzie slapped his arm very hard when she heard and saw that.

Sandy was 4 years old so when she stuck out her tongue out at him, her gesture was justified.

Alex started rubbing the arm that Izzie had punched, grimacing of pain and whining. "What was that for?"

"That's not a way to talk to her!" Izzie snapped at her.

"And now because of your precious girl we have to stand your slaps each time she is rude?" Alex protested referring at the fact that Mark had just received a slap from Addison for the very same reason.

"She is only 4, Alex!"

"Whatever" Alex knew there was no point in fighting with Izzie over Sandy, since Sandy would have won.

"No, he is right, Izz!" Meredith interfered. "You didn't buy anything for Alex, but we did and please stop being rude to him!"

Because she was between Addison and Mark, Sandy sniffed back and started playing with the hemline from her sweater.

"Besides" Meredith continued. "You don't like Mark either, and you weren't rude to him!"

"I like Mark!" Sandy jumped a little offended. "He is cute and funny!" She continued grinning at Mark.

Mark found himself in trouble after Sandy's confession, not knowing what to say to her. He admitted it was a nice compliment and he felt wheedled.

Addison mouthed him to say thank you.

"Um- thank you Sandy, that was- very nice of you!"

Sandy climbed up on Addison's lap and leaned to Mark giving him a peek on cheek.

A lot of "Aww's" could be heard in the next second, less from Alex, who was still pissed off by her comment.

--------------------------

Because Meredith was starving, after all the presents had been shared, everybody gathered in kitchen for dinner. Izzie had made for them, chicken soup, Meredith's favorite, chicken wings with vegetables and chocolate chips, all these Sandy's favorites. Despite all her mother's advices to stay quiet, there was no chance to make her shut up. She was like flooding with tells from her trip to New York, so that by the end of the dinner, all the persons present there knew what Sandy had eat every each morning while she stayed in New York.

When she was done, Sandy jumped up from her chair and ran to look through suitcases for Derek's camera.

Derek discarded all the photos and videos into his laptop so that she can show them everything and give them more details.

In the meantime, just Izzie stayed in kitchen to help Meredith cleaning around it and try to gather her thoughts and find the best way to tell Sandy about her moving.

Meredith saw Izzie about to burst into cry as she washed the plates. Meredith put rag down on table and came over to her.

"Izzie please!"

"I am sorry, Mer! If you ever want to give up on Sandy, then you can be sure that I will adopt her!" Izzie smiled slightly.

"I know! She must be the girl with the most mommies in the world!" Meredith smiled joking. "We'll just tell her maybe- maybe she won't react bad- maybe we don't know her that well!" Izzie gave her a look that was telling her 'you don't believe what you are saying either'. Meredith sighed heavily and leaned against the counter. "She will survive- we have to tell her today, so cry now as much as you can, but please don't do it while you are telling her!"

Izzie nodded and left the kitchen hurrying towards the bathroom. After he had seen the way that Izzie hurried inside, Derek went to check on Meredith.

When he walked in, Meredith was wiping a plate, so he approached her silently and made her stir up when he sneaked his arms around her hugging her back.

"Sorry" He whispered kissing her cheek.

"Hey" Meredith looked back smiling and turned around to face him.

Derek took the plate from her hands and put it away on counter, then he brought her into his arms. "Is Izzie crying again?"

"Yeah" Meredith sighed.

"I think it would be better if we'll tell her!"

"I think you are right! Izzie's emotional state won't be good for Sandy! Oh Derek, I just wish we could pass over this evening sooner!"

Derek wiped the small tear that had formed into her the corner of her eye, trying to wipe away her worry too. Gently he kissed her cheek, then nose and then her lips. "We'll be fine, I have a feeling!"

Meredith giggled visibly more lighten up. "I hope it's an optimistic feeling, because sometimes you are scaring me with these feelings of yours."

"It is very optimistic!" Derek chuckled and kissed her again.

Meredith hung on his neck, leaning against his body, completely relaxing as he put his arms around her. "I wish I can be as optimistic as you!"

"No! Let the optimism for me; it doesn't suit you anything else but the scepticism."

"I am a mother, so I guess that is why!"

"Yeah" Derek laughed rubbing her back. "My mom is like that too!" He lifted her head taking her face into his hands and brought it up to him. His lips gently kissed hers, using then his tongue to open her mouth.

They kissed long and romantic. He knew very well how to treat her fears.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long enough.

"Eww- mommy, stop!"

Derek groaned her pulled away from her mouth, but still keeping her in his arms.

They looked over at Sandy, who was standing in the doorway watching them with a disgusted face. When she saw they were done with the kissing, she ran to them and stopped at their feet.

Derek let Meredith go and bent to pick Sandy up; he placed her on counter and they all just stayed there smiling at each other.

"Sandy, you have to stop doing that" Derek took a grave look, trying to look as serious as possible. "We got it- you don't like the kissing, but we do, so please try to ignore us when you see us kissing!"

Sandy frowned at him, very unhappy for his twit, so she looked over to her mother to check her mood. She saw her smiling, so she smiled back and extended the arms to her.

Meredith pushed Derek away to get in front of Sandy's and picked her up. As usual, Sandy curled around her with arms and legs, smiling proud at Derek over Meredith shoulder.

"Why are you doing this, Meredith?" Derek reproached her, but kept his voice calm. "I was trying to make her understand something!"

Meredith turned around and looked at him shaking her head discreetly.

Derek understood her need to hold her daughter, so he dropped it. "But you should not carry her from now on; she is big and heavy and you are pregnant!"

Meredith rolled her eyes and put Sandy back down; she kneeled at her level, looking into her eyes. "Your daddy is right! You should stop doing this! Why don't you like to see us kissing?"

"Because it's gross!" Sandy replied grimacing to show her repugnance regarding their kisses.

"If the kissing is gross then, the…" Derek started laughing, but Meredith cut him with a glare.

"Don't you dare!" She commanded him not to use that word.

"Sorry!"

"Mommy, I think Izzie is sad again!" Sandy said with sadness. "I wanted to show the photos, but now she is bathroom!"

"Maybe she is feeling a little sick! Let's give her a few moments, ok?"

"But you are doctor- you can make her feel better!"

"She is a doctor too, so let's just give her sometime and we will record the photos and the videos on a disc for her!"

Sandy nodded resigned and Meredith stood up. When she was back on her feet, Sandy hugged her waist and kissed her tummy; then she rested her chin on it grinning up at Meredith. Meredith caressed her cheek and took her head to walk back in living room.

45 minutes later, Izzie still didn't show any sign of coming out from bathroom too soon. Alex and Meredith tried to make her come out, but each time she was telling them she would be out right away. They tried to get inside, but because Izzie had locked the door on the inside, they gave up.

After about one hour since she got in there, Izzie unlocked the door and came out. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she tried to keep a slight smile on her face.

Sandy made a gesture to run towards her, but she was stopped by Derek. "Let's wait for her here, ok?"

Sandy looked at him confused, unable to understand why she wasn't allowed to run to her, but she saw Derek's worry and decided to listen him.

Izzie took a seat on couch next to Alex and motioned to Sandy to go to her. Sandy didn't hesitate for a second and hurried in her arms. Izzie put her on her lap, so that she can face the others too.

"Listen Sandy, I have something very important to tell you, and I want you to know that this doesn't mean that I love you less, ok?"

Sandy nodded a little worried, not understanding too much "Ok"

Izzie took a deep breath and held back her tears. "Alex asked me to move in with him in his house!" Izzie paused waiting for Sandy's reaction. As she saw the sadness forming in her eyes, Izzie could not hold it back anymore and burst out into cry.

"Oh no!" Meredith was about to break too seeing Izzie like that.

"Shh" Derek tried to encourage her taking her in his arms. "Please Izzie!" He begged her.

But there was no chance for Izzie to calm down.

When she saw the painful way that Izzie was crying, Sandy kneeled on her lap and started caressing gently her face. "Don't cry Izzie!"

"Oh baby" Izzie pulled her into her arms hugging her tight.

"Don't cry, you make me sad too!" Sandy whispered caressing her arm.

"I- I'm sorry!" Izzie pushed her away a little and wiped her face. She started to calm down from sobbing seeing the small smile that Sandy was giving her as comfort.

"Don't cry, ok?" Sandy wiped Izzie's face with both hands kissing her on cheeks.

"Ok" Izzie smiled sobbing and taking deep breaths.

"Don't you want to move with Alex?"

Sandy's question made everyone to look surprised at each other. The comforting tone she used to make Izzie better.

"Of course I do!"

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I will miss you!"

Everyone expected to see that scenario, but with different characters. Sandy was now the one who was trying to make Izzie feel better about the moving.

"Will you move far?"

"No! And we'll see each other everyday and I will come and visit every time I can!"

Sandy smiled and hugged. "Then don't cry!"

"I am not crying anymore!" Izzie hugged her tight kissing the top of her head.

"Now Izzie, please go and wash your face!" Meredith suggested her "We are all good now!" She continued looking down at Sandy.

Izzie motioned a nod and stood up heading towards the bathroom.

Derek nudged Meredith to get her attention motioning to Christina.

"Christina, are does tears in your eyes?" Meredith burst completely stunned.

Christina bent over the coffee table and took a tissue from the box that Izzie had used. She blew her nose in it and shook her head. "It's only Izzie's fault!"

"Are you pregnant, Christina?" Meredith asked her.

"No" Christina's eyes grew huge when Meredith asked her that. "I am very careful with this, not like you!"

"Then what is wrong with you people?" She asked looking in particularly at Christina.

"They're sad mommy!" Sandy said it with sympathy as if she was trying to make her mommy understand that too.

"I can see that! Are you sad too?"

Sandy looked at her sad and nodded. "A little"

"Why?"

"Because they are sad and I don't like when they are sad!" Sandy answered with the same sympathetic voice.

Meredith smiled at Derek. They were both very pleasantly surprised by the manner that Sandy took and faced Izzie's news, especially considering Izzie's emotional state.

"Come with me, mommy!" Sandy took Meredith's hand and started to drag her after her.

"Where?"

"I know how we can make them feel better!"

Meredith gave in and followed her very curious to see what other brilliant idea, her daughter had baked.

They returned in living room after just 2 minutes with Sandy holding a plate with chocolate chips. When they got back, Izzie had returned in there too, looking much better.

Because Izzie was the nearest, Sandy first stop was in front of her. "Take a cookie, Izzie!" She said offering her the plate.

They all had the impression that Izzie was about to burst again, when Sandy offered her a cookie.

"Oh please just stop already!" Mark snapped at her. "You are a grown woman and she is just offering you a chocolate chip- which by the way Sandy, I want one too!"

Addison rolled her eyes amused and then she gave him a disapproving look.

Izzie took a chocolate chip thanking her for it, and then Sandy moved over to Christina. "Take one, Christina!"

Sandy and Christina weren't ever really close friends, but deep down they both carried secret affection for each other.

When Sandy showed her the plate, Christina smiled visibly touched by her gesture and took a chocolate chip. Then she pulled her closer and gave her a kiss.

Sandy giggled proud and then left with the plate to Mark placing it on his lap.

"Are you giving me all?" Mark asked her wanting to be sure that he can eat them all.

"Yes" Sandy smiled nodding and leaned on Addison's lap to watch him eating.

"Is it just me, or Sandy has a crush on you?" Derek asked him somewhat amused and surprised in the same time.

"Apparently!" Mark chuckled with the mouth full.

"What is that?" Sandy asked Derek curious.

"To have a crush on him?"

Sandy nodded to confirm.

"Um- it's when you like a boy really, really bad!"

"Oh" Sandy understood. "But I don't have a crush on Mark! I have a crush on Lucas!" She said.

Meredith and Derek looked at each other clueless and then at the others. Everybody shrugged as sign that none of them knew.

"Who is Lucas?" Meredith asked her.

"He is a boy from daycare! He always brings me candies!"

"He does?!" Meredith was stunned. Her daughter was having a secret lover.

"Yes" Sandy confirmed again with a nod.

"But why I never heard of him?"

Sandy shrugged at her. "He is cute!" She giggled.

"I am sure he is!" Derek was as surprised as Meredith was.

"We should find out more about this boy!" Meredith looked serious over to Derek.

"And we will! I have to go to hospital tomorrow, so I will stop by the daycare and see what I can find out!" Derek assured her serious.

"Great, and then you call me and let me know!"

"Would you please give them a break?" Alex burst amused. "He is not going to marry her!"

"Shut up Alex and look after your kid!" Meredith snapped at him, referring at Izzie's childish behavior.

"Are you better Izzie?" Sandy asked her a little worried.

"Much better; thank you, sweetie!"

Sandy smiled and gave her a kiss.

"I think we should go now! It's late and you are all tired!" Izzie told them standing up from couch.

"No, no! Not right away!" Addison stood up too and made her a sign to stop. "Because most of the people took very well the news about Izzie's moving, I decided to give you news too!" She informed them with a huge smile across her face.

All the eyes fell on Mark, but he was as clueless as they were.

"No, he doesn't know either!" Addison giggled seeing the way they were looking at Mark. "I just hope that some of you will take this news better than Izzie's" She continued looking at Izzie and Christina. "And I am just going to say it without any warning!" Addison took a deep breath and let the words out of her mouth. "I am pregnant!"

Everyone was shocked, while Mark chocked very hard with a cookie.

Addison patted his back smiling; that was the reaction she expected from him.

"I need water!" Mark said it with a throaty voice, standing up and hurrying towards the bathroom.

"We should have locked the bathroom!" Derek shook his head. "I will go after him! Congratulations Addie!" Derek gave her a kiss and went after Mark.

Addison saw their worried faces. "Hey stop worrying! He will survive! I wasn't expecting him to jump up of joy, but I am jumping! Yay!" Addison laughed.

"Addie!" Sandy hugged happy Addison's waist. She pulled back a little to look at Addison's tummy and rubbed it gently. "Do you have a baby in there?"

"Yes sweetie; I have a baby in there!" Addison smiled brushing gently her hair.

"Just like mommy"

"That's right! Just like your mommy! You will have two babies to take care of- you can be like their nanny!"

"I will play with them and I will walk with them in park, I will tell them, stories and I will teach them many things!" She said it very proud.

"They will love you a lot!"

"And I will love them a lot!"

Addison bent over her and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Sandy!"

Sandy smiled broadly and hugged her again. "I love you too, Addie!"

After a series of hugs and kisses, Derek brought Mark out from bathroom; he was still in complete shock and didn't seem like he would recover from it any time soon. Addison shook her head amused and led him outside.

Everybody said good night and another series of congratulations, putting an end to that evening.

After their leaving, Sandy ran to take all her presents into her room and Meredith and Derek cleaned up a little around the house.

"What a strange night!" Meredith said extremely overwhelmed by the nights events, but very relieved by the way that Sandy faced all the news.

"Very strange"

When they finished with the cleaning, Meredith and Derek settled in living room on couch, in each other's arms. Meredith put her head down on his chest closing the eyes and enjoying the pleasure giving by his hand through her hair.

"I thought I know her!" Meredith murmured.

"What are you talking about?"

Meredith stood up and leaned on his shoulder. "Sandy; I thought I know my daughter, but I don't!"

"She is an amazing girl!"

"Yeah; she definitely is!" Meredith smiled and kissed him.

"I hope the next one will amaze us as much as Sandy does!" Derek rubbed her tummy.

"If it will be then we will be truly blessed!"

Derek smiled and leaned on to kiss her; he kissed softly her lips, and continued it very delicate and full of love.

After a while, Meredith pushed him away. "Derek, we are kissing!"

"I know and I love it!" Derek chuckled dragging her back to him and started kissing her again.

"I love it too- but – Sandy" Meredith mumbled between kisses. "She is not here!"

"She must have listened our advice and she stays hided while we kiss!"

"Derek" Meredith pushed him away. "It's too quiet! She is doing something- something that I might not like!"

"You are overreacting Mer, come back!"

But Meredith pulled the hand away from him and stood up.

Derek shook his head and followed her up. "You should have more trust in her!"

Meredith didn't pay any attention to him and walked over to Sandy's bedroom, followed by Derek.

The door was closed, so Meredith opened it slowly and sneaked the head inside. As she did that she saw many of Sandy's clothes thrown all over the room and they were still landing on floor.

"Sandy!" Meredith walked inside. She then saw Sandy standing up on a chair, in front of her closet and taking out some clothes. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't need these, mommy!" Sandy informed her without stopping from what she was doing.

"What are you doing with them, then?"

"I want to give them to poor children!"

Meredith looked back at Derek, but Derek shrugged amused.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes mommy!"

"We should help her and fold them!" Derek came over to Meredith smiling and motioning her to pick up the clothes.

Meredith took one of Sandy's sweaters and shook her head. "This one cost me a fortune!"

Derek grabbed it from him and started folding it.

Sandy was soon done with the clothes, so she got off the chair. "I want to give away some toys too!" She said and walked over to her toys closet.

When she passed by Meredith, Meredith grabbed her and pulled her to her. She looked into her innocent eyes and could not help but smile proud. "You really are amazing!" Meredith gave her a kiss on forehead and let her go.

Sandy started then to sort her toys and decide which one was to keep and which one was to give away.

**-----------**

**I hope you liked this chapter. I hope the next one will be up in a few days!**

21


	18. Cinderella's Story

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 18 – Hot date**

**Part 1- Cinderella's story**

Because today was Meredith's birthday and because in two days, they were celebrating their first anniversary since they first met in park, Derek found the perfect opportunity to invite Meredith out for their first date. They did in that way so they could both have this day off from work, spending it entirely with Sandy playing games, watching movies and walking through park; all these just to have Meredith for him for the rest of the evening.

Addison was the only one who managed to escape earlier from hospital and to come and celebrate Meredith's birthday for a while. She was also their help for the night, agreeing to stay with Sandy, while they were out.

With Addison's help and Sandy's assistance, Meredith started to get ready for her first date with Derek.

Addison curled up her hair a little, both deciding that it would be better if it would stay free, while Sandy, very generously offered to help them too, by selecting the make-up products for her mother. To be sure that she was choosing the right products, Sandy thought it would be better if she would try them first.

"I have more than you, mommy," Sandy said digging through Meredith's small white baggie with cosmetics.

"Good for you sweetie"

"Addie has more than you," Sandy continued paying attention to everything that Meredith was having in that baggie.

"Good for her" Meredith replied wincing at the pain that Addison produced her by pulling on her hair.

Sandy took out a black stick and opening it, she saw a light brown stick. She looked at it with curious eyes, analyzing it very careful. "What is this?" She asked showing the stick to Addison and Meredith.

"That is stick concealer," Addison informed her quickly.

"I don't have one of this, mommy"

"Because you don't need one sweetie! That is for old women like me and Addie"

For that, Addison pulled harder her hair. "Ouch"

"You might be old, Meredith, but I am still young and fresh." Addison shot her a frowned look in mirror.

"I've turned 32 today, and you already have 35, so who is younger and fresher?"

"I am" Addison answered smiling proud. "Because I feel younger and fresher than you"

"Sandy," Meredith looked down at Sandy, who was right in front of her bent over the baggie with cosmetics. "Who looks younger, mommy or Addie?"

Sandy turned around and looked at them for a few moments. "You" She said looking at Meredith and then she turned her look back over the cosmetics.

Meredith showed Addison a smirk looking at her through mirror.

"I am sure you taught her to say that" Addison said with a serious look on her face. "Sandy, give me two clamps"

Sandy took two big clamps and handed them to Addison. Then, she leaned against the table looking at what Addison would do with those.

Addison seized two hair strands from Meredith's face, to clear it for make-up and took a moisturizer face cream pouring some in one hand.

"Please try a discreet make-up this time; I want a natural look." Meredith told her before she would start her make up. "I am not as old as you so I don't have so many imperfections."

Addison sent her a poke in her back for her little joke.

"Use this, Addie!" Sandy handed her a lipstick.

"Not now, Sandy" Addison told her applying the cream all over Meredith's face.

"That is too pink, Sandy" Meredith said seeing what tone Sandy had chosen. "Try to find another one"

Sandy turned her back on Meredith to see herself in mirror and bent over the table with the lipstick in her hand. "But I like this one"

"I know you do, but I don't" Meredith mumbled as Addison started to apply the foundation. "I said I want something discreet and that one is too pink. I don't even know why I bought it."

"Can I have it?" Sandy asked drawing a pink line over her lips.

"No you can't." Meredith replied without seeing what Sandy was doing.

Addison had her back turned to Sandy, so she was out of her vision.

"Please mommy"

"Sandy, you have your own cosmetics"

"But I don't have pink" Her voice cried out still drawing her lips.

Addison jumped in Meredith's help, so she turned around at Sandy to convince her to stop with that lipstick. As she did that, Addison saw Sandy's pink mouth. "OMG… what have you done?!" She took the lipstick out of her hand.

"Sandy" Just then, Meredith saw her too.

Sandy smiled happy at them, completely ignoring their accusing eyes and looked back in mirror admiring her over painted lips.

"Where is the make-up remover?" Meredith asked looking over the table. She found it and poured some on a tampon. Then she took Sandy closer to her and cleaned her mouth.

"Yuck" Sandy grimaced trying to remove her mother's hand from her mouth.

"Stop moving, Sandy!" Meredith grabbed her hands and held them tight in hers, while she removed the big pink spot from her mouth. "This is not for little girls like you."

When she heard that, Sandy looked at her mad. She definitely could not stand to be called little, except for the moments when it was in her favor to be little.

"Ok, for little and big girls." Meredith corrected herself amused at Sandy's silly frowned look. "You are allowed to use this only when you will be older."

"But I will be older soon" Sandy cried out unhappy with the disagreements she had with her mother upon that subject. "My birthday is soon"

Meredith and Addison smiled at each other.

"She is too smart for you, Meredith!" Addison said jokingly. "You mother refers when you will be older as in when you will have the same age we have today." She helped Meredith, trying to clarify that thing with Sandy."

Because she was having two persons contradicting with her, Sandy gave up resigned and put back the lipstick.

--------------------

While the girls were in Meredith's bedroom, Derek was lying on couch, already dressed in his tux and typing something on his laptop.

He heard the doorbell ringing, so he shut down the laptop and went to answer the door.

"Mark" Mark showed up in the doorway very fancy dressed and holding a flower bouquet in one hand.

"Hey Derek" Since he started to date with Addison, he also moved into her apartment after Izzie and Christina's moving, therefore he was making regular visits to Meredith's apartment and he wasn't any longer waiting for an invitation inside.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked him a little confused by his unexpected visit.

"I came to give these flowers to Meredith," He said walking in living room looking around after her. "Where is she?"

Derek followed him in living room. "She is in her room with Addison and Sandy, getting ready to go out."

"Oh good, if Addison is here already, then I guess that we won't stop by our apartment." In the meantime, Mark made himself comfortable on couch placing the flowers beside him. He adopted a relaxed position, leaning back and bringing a leg over the other. "But what I don't understand is…" he added. "If in there are only Addie and Sandy with Meredith, then who will sit with Sandy?" Mark gave him a puzzled look.

Derek guessed what was about to come next, but he felt amused in a way; it was his chance to pay him back for all his jokes, when Derek tried to get Meredith out on a date.

"Don't tell me you are going to take her with you?" Mark chuckled when he saw Derek's amused face.

"No" Derek answered smiling and took a seat across from Mark on a chair.

"Then?" Mark asked more curious now.

"You are going to take her out on your date" Derek smirked at him.

Mark's eyes grew huge and looked at him doubtful "You are mocking me"

"Addison will sit with Sandy tonight, so if you have a date with her, then I guess that you have a date with Sandy too.

"She can't" Mark came back on his feet very unpleasantly surprised by what Derek had told him. "She knew we were supposed to go out tonight"

Derek just shrugged nonchalant.

"Where is Izzie?"

"Izzie is busy at hospital and she will stay there over night."

Mark rubbed his face frustrated. "I can't believe this!" he muttered. "Can't you find a chick or someone to stay with her for a few hours?"

"No" Derek shook his head. "We have more trust in Addison than in any chick or old lady from this building."

"You have or just Meredith has?"

"We both have, Mark and now please stop and get used with the idea that you will go home alone tonight."

"You need to find a nanny for this girl."

"Maybe we will, but now we have the help with need."

"Yes by ruining other's people dating." Mark glared him.

"Stop whining Mark; you and Addison can go out tomorrow or in any other day"

"Derek, it's not my fault that you two haven't had a date by now; you shouldn't have fell for a mommy."

"Well… I did it and now it's too late, so stop with this." Derek took a grave tone to make sure that Mark would stop.

--------------------

"Is that Mark's voice?" Meredith asked Addison curious when Mark started to argue with Derek upon Sandy's nanny.

Addison put down the hairbrush and took a seat on an armchair not far from Meredith rubbing her face nervous.

Meredith and Sandy saw that and looked at each other puzzled.

"Addie?" Sandy stopped in front of her and asked her slow as if she wouldn't want to disturb her more.

Addison looked up at Sandy and smiled when she saw her worried face. She pulled her to her and hugged her holding her between her legs. "I am fine!" She said as she dropped a kiss on Sandy's temple. "I forgot I have a date with Mark tonight."

Addison muttered looking at Meredith.

"Addison" Meredith groaned as she heard that.

"I know… I am a horrible girlfriend." She said disappointed as she was brushing Sandy's hair with her fingers.

"You are not horrible, Addie" Sandy looked back at her with pity and for that Addison smiled caressing gently one her of her cheeks.

"You are a horrible girlfriend, but please don't be a horrible friend too." Meredith told her afraid that something might change (once again) in their plans to go out alone.

Addison rolled her eyes annoyed as she said, "I am not! I promised you and I will keep my promise." She assured her kissing Sandy's cheek. "Sandy will be my date tonight"

Sandy giggled cuddling in Addison's arms, not knowing too much, about what a date means though.

"Ok" Meredith stood up sighing. "I am ready!" She said as she smoothed her navy long dress.

"Good then, let's go out and you go on your date and I …"Addison took a deep breath before continuing "I have to beg Mark for forgiveness."

Addison took Sandy's hand and walked her to door, but when she was about to open it, Sandy looked back at Meredith and saw her standing still.

"Mommy?" She called her to get her attention.

Just then, Addison noticed that something was wrong with Meredith. She was looking at them motionless, just rubbing her belly.

"Meredith, are you ok?" Addison asked her with worry and let Sandy's hand to go back to her.

"We have been together for a year already" Meredith muttered and Addison just looked at her worried. "How can I be so nervous? I mean his Derek and I know him, but still…"

"He makes you feel butterflies in your stomach" Addison smiled finishing the sentence for her.

Meredith nodded and felt her eyes wetting because of the emotion.

Sandy had listened what Addison and Meredith said, so when Addison gave Meredith a hug, she walked back to them. She patted Meredith's waist looking up at her.

Meredith pulled back breaking the hug and wiped a tear from her eye before kneeling down to Sandy. "What is it?"

"Mommy, do you have butterflies in your tummy?" Sandy asked her curious and a little amused.

Addison and Meredith laughed as Sandy put that question.

"I do" Meredith smiled playing with Sandy's hair. Though she loved the haircut she got with Derek that day, Sandy still wanted to see her hair long again, so now her hair was let free and reaching a little lower from her shoulders.

"Did you eat butterflies?" Sandy showed her some huge eyes because of the shock.

Meredith laughed and pulled her into a hug, rubbing gently her little back. "No, I didn't"

Sandy made a step back and looked confused at Meredith.

"This is how you say when you are nervous about something," Meredith tried to explain her. "You know like when you feel a tickle inside your tummy" She said tickling Sandy's tummy.

Sandy laughed at Meredith's tickles and hung on her neck. "Ok"

"Ok then, we should go" Meredith stood up taking Sandy's hand.

Walking out from Meredith's bedroom, they saw the guys sitting in living room, in that moment both quiet.

Derek's face was turned towards her bedroom, so he saw immediately the door opening. He stood up smiling and walked towards her, without breaking the eye contact with her until he reached to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Did you miss me that much?" Meredith giggled as she wrapped her arms around him resting her head on him.

"Oh yeah" Derek chuckled and kissed her head.

"Oh just stop; she was in the other room only for half an hour." Addison told Derek, looking worried at Mark, who had stood up too and shook his head disappointed as he saw her coming out. "Hi Mark"

"Addison" Mark replied simple obviously not very happy with what was going on there.

"Long half hour without my girls" Derek pulled back looking down at Sandy and caressed her head.

"You are becoming cheesy Derek and I am not in the mood for cheesy now" Meredith told him trying to hold back a tear. "I am pregnant and the hormones are playing with my nerves."

Derek just smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Mommy has butterflies in here." Sandy giggled rubbing in the same time Meredith's belly.

"You do?" Derek laughed.

"Shut up, Derek!" Meredith slapped his arm playful and headed towards the living room, where Addison and Mark were sitting in silence. "Hi Mark"

"Hi Meredith" Mark took the flower bouquet and walked over to her. "Happy birthday Mer!" He handed her the flowers and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Mark!" Meredith hugged him back. "And I am sorry for… Addison told me."

Mark pulled back and nodded his head at Addison. "We'll talk about this some other time."

"You are not mad, are you?" Meredith asked him worried.

"No I am not" Mark's eyes were still on Addison, not looking very happy.

"I hope you are not!"

Derek wrapped an arm around Meredith's waist pulling her into him. "Who cares if he is or not?" Derek kissed her temple. "You look fabulous and I need to brag with you to the world out there, so let's go!"

"Are you sure you two are ok?" Meredith asked one more time looking at Addison and Mark.

"We are fine, don't worry about us" Addison assured her. "He should stay more around kids anyway" She stated patting her small bump.

When Addison said that, Sandy started to look panicked around her hoping that maybe she misunderstood everything. "Mark is staying with us?" She asked looking in particular at Addison.

"No, I am not staying" Mark replied nervous. "So don't worry about me."

Derek squeezed Meredith's arm, both being very worried that once again they would have to give up on their night.

"Mark please" Addison took a pleading attitude.

"Don't you see her? She doesn't want me here, so I will go." That wasn't Mark's real reason, but he found Sandy's reaction perfect to use it as excuse not to practice the daddy role.

"What happened? Are you two in a fighting again?" Meredith asked them looking down at Sandy.

Sandy stared in all this time at Mark with a frowned look; when her mother asked that, she shot him a glare and pointed out to him. "He broke my doll's head"

Everybody groaned as Sandy said that.

"But he bought you another one." Meredith told her.

"And a quite expensive one" Mark needed to add.

"You guys go and I will take care of them" Addison said taking the flowers from Meredith and pushed them from back.

"She is right" Derek hurried and with one swift move, he grabbed Meredith's coat he had taken out for her and handed it to her. "Let's hurry!" Derek urged her wanting to be sure that nothing would change in the next second  
"We are going, just calm down Derek" Meredith glared him and bent down to Sandy. "Now I want you to be a good girl and play nice with Addie, ok?"

"Can't I come with you?"

And there was the question that Meredith and Derek hoped they would not hear it again.

Derek jumped to save a potential change in his plans for the night, so he kneeled down at her and shook his head.

"Please" Sandy said quietly looking at him and up at her mother with pleading eyes.

"Didn't we talk about this?" Derek asked her.

Sandy nodded her head with a disappointed sigh. "You want to be alone with mommy"

Derek kissed her forehead and stood up. "We'll be back later so please don't stay pouted, ok?"

"We'll have a great time together, Sandy" Addison said.

"Without Mark" Sandy frowned angry at him.

"With or without Mark, we still going to have a great time, now tell them bye."

Sandy lifted on tiptoes to kiss her mommy and daddy and after she kissed her mommy, she also gave a kiss to the baby.

She put both hands on Meredith's abdomen, smoothing the dress around the small bump and kissed it. "Bye baby" Then, she put the chin on it grinning up at Meredith.

"I love you sweetie!" Meredith rubbed her cheek before heading to door.

Sandy walked them to door together with Addison and waved them.

After they left, Sandy returned in living room pouted and holding Addison's hand.

"Now come on sweetie, we are going to have a great time together" Addison lifted her face up to her. "Don't you like to spend the time with me anymore?" She asked trying to look a little worried.

"I do, Addie"

Addison picked her up and took a seat on couch next to Mark, placing Sandy on her lap. "Now you know today was mommy's birthday and you know how you don't like to see them kissing, right?" Addison asked her and she nodded her head. "He wanted to be with her tonight so that he can kiss her without disturbing you and you to stay home and have fun with me."

"But Mark is not playing with my toys." Sandy frowned pointing her finger to Mark.

"We'll take care of your toys, now tell me what do you want us to do?" Addison asked her.

"Watch video"

"Ok, what do you want to see?"

"Cinderella"

Addison stood up and put her back down on couch "Cinderella is it then" She said as she walked to Sandy's room to bring the tape from there.

As Addison stood up and headed to there, Mark followed her inside.

"Addison, what does this mean?" He asked her nervous. "I thought we established to go out tonight"

"I am sorry Mark, but I …"

"Forgot"

"I am sorry"

Mark shook his head disappointed.

"But it's your fault too; you should have reminded me." Addison tried to defense herself.

"Addison, you know what hectic days have been at hospital lately and now I am coming after a 48 hours shift, I showered, I shaved I am wearing a tux, and believe me not baby sitting I was having in plan for this evening." At this point, Mark raised the voice a little.

"Please keep your voice down! I am not deaf and you don't have to make yourself heard by Sandy!" Addison snapped at him. "Go home and sleep then! I promised Meredith, a long time before you proposed this date that I am going to sit with Sandy if it would be necessary!"

Addison found the tape on Sandy's desk, she grabbed it and stormed out from her bedroom.

"Now you are the one who is angry?" Mark followed her out shouting.

"Yes Mark" Addison made a sudden stop and turned to him furious. "You are going to become a father in less than 4 months so you should get used with this, because it will be difficult to make a plan for us without changing it later."

She opened the mouth to continue, but she felt her eyes filling with tears, so she stopped and walked over to Sandy. Sandy had listened their shouts from couch and now she was sitting there sad, crawled with her knees to her chest.

Though he didn't like it too much, Mark knew Addison was right; he looked at Addison as she put the tape into the VCR and saw how upset she was; then he also so Sandy's sad look and decided to give up.

He took off the jacket from his tux and threw it on a chair by the couch.

"So what are we watching?" He asked as he took a seat down on couch next to Addison.

Addison smiled at him and put her head down on his shoulder, as Mark wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Because Mark's tone was calmer when he asked that, Sandy looked him and smiled. "Cinderella" She said.

"I am not a fan, but I guess it can work" Mark smiled back again and Addison pressed the play button.

She looked up at him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks"

Mark kissed her back and nodded.

As the story started to play on TV, to make herself more comfortable, Sandy moved and laid down with her head on Addison's belly, caressing it with slow circular moves.

Addison looked down at her, when Sandy moved on her, and smiled brushing gently her hair.

Mark noticed how in the last 10 minutes, Addison hadn't moved her eyes from Sandy.

"You really love her, don't you?" He whispered.

Addison looked at him and smiled. "Maybe I am a bad person, but…" She leaned to his ear and whispered. "Sometimes I am sorry that she is not my daughter."

Mark lifted her chin and kissed her.

Sandy was not looking at them, but she knew what they were doing. "Eww"

Addison giggled and Mark groaned annoyed. "Great"

--------------------

The cartoon was about to end when Addison got a call on her pager. She stood up and checked it and after she made a phone call to hospital, she returned to them worried.

Sandy was too charmed by Cinderella's story to pay attention to what was happening around her, but Mark did notice Addison's grave look.

"What happened?" he asked her standing up and walked over to her.

"I have to go to hospital." She whispered.

Though she whispered as she said that and Sandy was very fascinated by her cartoon, Sandy did hear her and looked up at her. She knew that if Addison was leaving, it could mean that either she would go to daycare with her or she would stay with Mark.

"So you are taking Sandy with you." Mark said it, obviously not wishing to hear the other option.

"Mark" Addison looked at her him; her serious look was telling him exactly what he didn't want to hear.

"Come on Addie, why can't you take her with you?"

"Because I might not stay there too long and there is no point to take her with me; besides, the daycare is not open at this hour."

"Take her with you and ask a nurse to watch her."

"Mark… I won't be gone for long so please stay here with her."

"What am I suppose to do her?"

"Mark, she is not a baby anymore; you don't have to change her diapers or feed her. Just make sure that she is ok!"

"But you said it yourself, you MIGHT not stay long, what if you are caught for long?"

"Meredith and Derek will be back" She patted his shoulder and bent down to Sandy, who had stood up on her knees in the meantime and she was looking at them. "Don't worry Sandy, you will be fine… if Mark breaks any other toy, then I will break his neck, ok?"

"That's very encouraging, Addie" Mark groaned hearing her.

"Addie" Sandy pleaded her.

"Please just be nice and do what Mark tells you…and stay out of trouble." She told her and then she gave her a kiss. "And you" Addison said as she turned to Mark. "Don't lock her anymore and watch her… stay out trouble please! Both of you!" She looked at both of them. "It's not hard Mark"

Sandy jumped up from couch and took Addison's hand, not wanting her to leave.

Surprisingly, Mark took Sandy's other hand and looked down at her. "We'll be fine!"

Sandy looked up at him as surprised as Addison was.

"Thank you baby!" Addison kissed his cheek in a hurry and then bent to kiss Sandy's forehead. "Did you hear that? You will be fine. Love you both!" She kissed them again before hurrying out on door.

She was so fast, that neither Mark nor Sandy had the chance to react in time and walk her to door.

Once that Addison left the apartment, Mark let Sandy's hand and went to lock the door.

When he came back, Sandy was standing in the same spot he had left her. "Now you can breathe and you can move, you know" Mark told her when he saw her stone stature. "I am not going to tie you."

As Mark said that, Sandy climbed back up on couch and looked at TV. "It's over" She muttered disappointed as the cartoon had just ended.

Mark came over to her and took a seat beside her. "Do you remember where we had left it?" He asked her taking the remote control.

Sandy looked up at him and smiled.

Mark didn't know too many about reading the children's face expression, but Sandy's was so suggestive that he knew what she was thinking.

"Are you serious? Don't tell me you want to re-watch it?"

"It's my favorite" She responded smiling. "Didn't you like it?"

Mark just rolled his eyes and rewound the tape. "I guess it's better than to see you running around."

Mark leaned back as the story started to play again, while Sandy laid down and crawled on the other side of the couch.

After about 45 minutes, the tape ended again, so Sandy got back in the sit up position and then was when she saw that Mark was sleeping. His head had fallen back over the couch with his half-open mouth drooling a little by one of its corners.

Sandy watched him for few moments with an amused expression on her face, giggling and covering her mouth to her hand not to make noise, each time Mark was letting out a short snore. She got on her knees and climbed on Mark's lap patting his cheek. "Mark"

Mark didn't feel her at all so he continued to sleep.

"Mark" Sandy called him louder, shaking his cheek.

Just then, Mark started to wake up. "What? What happened?" He asked confused looking scared around him. Only after a second, he realized that Sandy was sitting on him. "What did you do?" He asked her with a grave tone.

Sandy returned on couch smiling. "I didn't do anything. Wanna draw with me?"

Mark rubbed his eyes to banish the sleep and saw that the cartoons were over. "Don't you want to see it again?" He asked her hoping that he would get another sleep.

"No" Sandy giggled as she found his question amusing and silly. "I saw it two times"

"Ok, then… don't you want to watch another story?"

Sandy shook her head firmly. "I want to draw"

Mark sighed and turned off the TV without taking the tape out. "Ok then… where do you want to draw? Here or in your room?"

"In my room" Sandy answered and jumped off the couch. "Come" She extended her hand out to him.

Mark knew he could not let her alone, so he stood up and took her hand, letting himself led to her bedroom.

Once they walked in there, Sandy let his hand go and ran to her desk where the papers and the crayons were. She picked up everything she needed for draw, placing them on bed.

"Why don't you draw on desk?" Mark asked her.

"Because you don't have room on desk." Sandy answered without looking at him and threw some crayons on bed.

"Do you really want me to draw with you?"

Sandy looked at him and smiled. "Yes"

Mark sighed resigned and fell exhausted in her bed, waiting for her to bring everything in it.

"Don't sleep!" She told him when she saw him hugging her pillow.

"I am not" He muttered and put the pillow away. "Your smell makes me hungry." He said referring at Sandy's favorite scent; the strawberry one.

When everything was up in bed, Sandy climbed up and started to put them in order. She gave him a blank paper and put the crayons in middle.

"And what do you want me to draw?"

"Let's draw a Zoo" she said.

"A Zoo!?" Mark looked at her with an amused look on his face.

"Yes a Zoo" Sandy's answer came natural as if his surprise was ridiculous. "I will draw an elephant and a pool and you will draw umm…" She took a few seconds to think about it. "A pony"

"Ok" Mark agreed amused imagining that they could fool together, since neither Sandy at that age can draw an animal and make it look as an animal.

What he didn't know was that the drawing was Sandy's job at this age.

Sandy was very focused over her paper, drawing very careful the outline of what was supposed to become an elephant, while Mark took a clipboard and leaned against the headboard to draw his pony.

After about 5 minutes, he put the pencil down. "I am done"

"But you didn't color it" Sandy informed him noticing that he had used just one crayon.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes" Sandy giggled and continued at her draw.

"Ok and what color should I paint him?"

Sandy shrugged from her shoulder without taking her eyes from her paper.

Mark shrugged back and took a blue crayon.

After another 5 minutes, Mark put his paper down. "Now I am done"

"I am not done" Sandy muttered bending even more over her paper. Her hair kept falling over her face and she was struggling to keep it to back.

"You are slow" Mark made fun of her slowness.

Sandy raised her look at him and stuck out her tongue. "Mine is more beautiful than yours."

"Sure" Mark laughed turning his draw so that Sandy can't see his art and stood up. "Can I help you?"

"No" Sandy answered right away. She became more stressed because of Mark's tease and because of her hair.

"Can I least help you with your hair?"

Mark's offer got her interest and looked up at him.

"Where are your clamps?" He asked her looking around the room. He didn't need her to answer because he soon saw that most of her beauty products and accessories were spread all over the room. He took two white clamps and brought it over to her. "Here, take these."

"Thank you!" Sandy answered politely and took them to gather a few strands to back, then she returned to her draw.

While she finished her draw, Mark looked around her room. He had been over there before, but he had never been in Sandy's room. He smiled to himself at the color pink from all over her bedroom. A poster with the Little Mermaid was still hung on wall, but new other pictures had been added, most of them with animals. As he was looking around him, Mark spotted a few photos on her nightstand.

There were also old photos, and new ones with Derek. He knew most of the recent ones, but one got his attention. It was Sandy at age of 2 with her birth parents. Mark had found out Sandy's story so it wasn't difficult for him to figure out who they were.

He gave a look over the photo and another one over Sandy's and he could tell how much Sandy was looking like her mother.

"Put that down" Sandy told him as she jumped off the bed. She didn't seem disturb by Mark's indiscretion, but it was obvious that she wasn't comfortable with it. She took her draw and then went to take Mark's.

"They are your parents, right?" He asked her, but his question remained without answer, because Sandy started laughing when she saw Mark's draw, ignoring completely his question.

Just then, Mark remembered when Addison told him about Sandy's parents and her refuse to talk about them, so he put the picture back on the nightstand.

Sandy came over to him and handed him his draw. "This is not a pony" She laughed and took the photo and hided somewhere behind other photos. Mark saw that but he didn't make any comment upon it.

"But what does it look to you, huh?" He asked her rubbing the back of his neck.

"That is a cat… a big cat" She giggled showing him her draw. "This is mine" She said with proud.

Mark took her draw and he had to admit that her elephant was looking as an elephant.

"Well… mine is a pony… it has a tail, 4 legs, two ears… it's a pony" Mark tried to make her understand his art.

"You are silly" Sandy giggled and ran to her book shelf. "The cat has a tail, 4 legs and two ears" as she said that, she took out her favorite book; the one which taught her all the animals.

Sandy opened the book and browsing it she stopped when she found what she was looking for.

"See?" She brought the book to Mark "This is how a pony looks like" Her finger showed him the image with the pony. "And it's not blue like yours." She giggled.

"Well if you are so smart then why don't you draw all these animals to prove me that you are talented?" With that he hoped he would make sure that she stays busy and out of trouble while he would rest for a while. "Do you think you can do these?"

"I can" Sandy answered proud.

"Ok then; show me how many animals you can draw while I will be in living room."

"No, stay here"

"What now? Are you scared to stay alone in your room?"

"No, but I want to stay with you."

Mark looked at her pleading face and he could not believe how hard it was for him to stand it. "Fine" He groaned into a final. "You can come in living room" and as he said that he walked out of her room.

Sandy hurried to pick up the book and all the things needed for Mark's challenge and then she followed him out.

Mark sat down on couch taking back the remote control to surf the channels, while Sandy sat down at the coffee table spreading all her things around it and pushing Mark's legs off the table.

Mark did like her gesture and with a glare he put the legs back on table.

"It's not nice" Sandy muttered nervous as she pushed down his legs one more time.

Annoyed to argue with her upon that, Mark gave up and lifted his legs on couch, laying back.

--------------------

Mark had fallen into a deep sleep, so the strong noise of something breaking made him jump up scared and trip over the coffee table. He fell over it on the other side taking after him all Sandy's papers and crayons. He cursed rubbing his knees frustrated until the sleep fade away for good. Then he could notice that Sandy was nowhere to be seen and the light in kitchen was on.

"Shit" he jumped up on his feet panicked of what might had happened and left in a run towards the kitchen.

He found the kitchen into complete mess; flour was spread all over the table, egg shells and on floor a broken jar with chocolate flakes spread all over.

Mark rubbed his face frustrated and he ran his hands through his hair pulling on it with anger.

He saw Sandy from the corner of his eyes, standing against the wall at his right, but he didn't turn his look over her. "What happened in here?" He asked simply without anger, although, his eyes were sending fire.

Sandy stood quiet in her corner, holding her arms against her chest, not blinking and not even breathing.

"How much did I sleep?" Mark questioned himself unable to understand how she could make such a mess. "I knew I should have made Derek to come home or even better… to call Meredith" He continued muttering nervous as he kneeled to pick up the broken pieces.

He was so preoccupied to curse his bad luck that he started to grab the sharp pieces of glass without any precaution, therefore, it was one broken glass that stuck into his palm.

"Damn it" He winced in pain as he hurried up over the sink, to take out the piece of glass from his palm.

Only when she saw all the blood flooding from his hand, Sandy reacted and ran out of the kitchen.

A minute later she came back running and holding the first aid kit and stopped near Mark handing him the kit.

"Did you know where it was?" Mark asked surprised as he took it from her.

"Mommy taught me" Sandy answered. "Can I help you?"

Mark was opening the kit when Sandy asked him that, and her question surprised him pleasantly. "Aren't you scared of blood?" But as he looked down at her for an answer his eyes grew huge, his jaw dropped and he burst shocked. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO YOURSELF????"

Sandy froze scared at his yell. Her face was all painted with Meredith's make-up products; her eyes were a rainbow, her lips over painted, with pink of course and she also tried some mascara, which unfortunately landed under her eyes.

"Do you really can't stay out of trouble? Do you hate me that much?" Mark started yelling at her angry. "Do you want to see me aged earlier? What in the world made you paint your face like this? You look like a scarecrow! Just go to your room and stay there" He yelled pointing her out.

She listened his shouts wincing with tears filling her eyes. When Mark asked her to leave, she ran out bursting into tears.

Mark bandaged his hand and in all this time he could hear her sobbing in her room. He was extremely angry, but he was aware that he was not completely fair with her since it was his fault too. After he bandaged his hand, Mark went to see her.

He opened the door slowly and sneaked his head through the half-open door. He saw her laid on her bed, with her face buried into the cover and gripping it with both hands.

Mark walked in hesitant and just seeing her like that made him feel guilty for the way he yelled at her. He sat down on bed beside her and looked at her for a few moments.

"I am sorry Sandy!" He finally spoke up.

But Sandy didn't pay any attention to his excuse.

"I didn't mean to call you a scarecrow; I am sorry I did it and I am sorry I yelled at you! Now please don't cry!"

When he put his hand on her back, Sandy slapped it without taking her face out of the cover.

"I am sorry, but you have to know that you scared me; what were you doing in kitchen alone? Don't you know you can hurt yourself?"

But again, Sandy didn't pay any attention to him.

"What if you were alone and you would have cut yourself with that jar? I know you are not scared of blood, but this is very painful and you couldn't have taken care of it."

As he said that, Sandy stopped from crying and titled her head to him slowly.

"Come" Mark stood up when she saw her calming down and gave her his hand. "Let's wash your face!"

Sandy wiped her nose with the sleeve from her blouse and took his hand getting off the bed.

Mark took her to bathroom and pulled her little chair in front of the sink so that she can reach over the sink.

She splashed some water over her face, but because she was looking as if she was caressing herself, Mark helped her rubbing intensively her face. Because the make-up wasn't coming out just with water, Mark took the soap and rubbed her face with it.

Sandy protested a little because she got soap in her eyes and mouth.

"Stop whining, because that is why you are getting soap in your mouth." Mark told her continuing to rub her face. "I didn't put you all these colors on your face."

After he washed the soap away from her face, Mark groaned seeing that he didn't remove too much from it. "Don't tell me it is waterproof!"

Sandy looked up at him with a puzzled look.

"Great" Mark shut off the water and put her back down on floor. "Let's see what we can find in her room!"

He walked out ahead and Sandy followed him closely.

In Meredith's room, her make up table was a mess. All her eyes shadows were open and scrubbed; the pink lipstick that Sandy had fallen in love was also open, all together with brushes.

"For this you will have to assume the entire fault" Mark told her a little amused by the mess she had made there. The mess from the make-up table was reflecting very well on the mess from Sandy's face.

Sandy didn't say anything, she just looked at him and nodded her head once. Mark's apologies had been accepted by Sandy, so now she wasn't crying anymore. She was just looking around her worried, aware that she was guilty for that mess.

"I suppose she has a make-up remover, right?" Mark asked as he was looking over the table, picking up each bottle and reading it. "Oh… this is it" He said choosing a green bottle. "Make-up remover" He read on it. "Ok, so how do you use this?" Mark asked her.

Sandy bent over the table and took a cotton tampon. "With this" She said handing him the tampon.

Mark poured some liquid over it and then started to clean her face. He was having brutal moves, a little too harsh for her face, but besides winces, she didn't whine.

When he was done, he threw the dirty tampons back on table and let out a deep sigh before looking down at Sandy with a serious attitude.

She looked up at him guilty, speechless and biting her lower lip.

"Your mom didn't serve me with her cake, does she still have some?" He asked her.

"She does" Sandy nodded her head.

"Do you want to eat with me?" Mark asked her again, this time with a softer tone.

Sandy smiled encouraged by his question and nodded her head again.

"Let's go then!" He gestured her with his head to follow him.

"It has chocolate and strawberries" She informed him as she started following him.

"I love chocolate and strawberries" He said and Sandy giggled.

They entered in kitchen together and Sandy directed him to fridge, where the cake was.

"Don't you think you should clean up a little around here?" Mark asked her standing in the doorway.

Sandy looked around at all that mess and then up to Mark, hoping for some help.

"I'll help" He muttered when he saw her pleading look.

They cleaned up together, and surprisingly for Mark, Sandy proved to be a real help with the cleaning.

Mark took out the cake from fridge and placed it on table. "Plates or directly from it?" He asked Sandy.

Sandy smiled wide "Directly from it"

"Hmm… I could have sworn that you love the housework" Mark joked and took a seat on table.

Sandy came over and stopped next to him.

"What?" He asked her when he saw her standing there. "Why don't you sit down?"

"I want on your lap" She smiled biting her lower lip and balancing on her feet.

"After all the things you have done, now you want a cuddle?"

Sandy didn't seem discouraged by Mark's statement and continued to smile knowingly at him.

Mark picked her up without any other comment. As he did that, Sandy looked back at him. "I don't hate you Mark!" She said referring at his shouts from earlier and titled her head to kiss his cheek. "I love you!" and with that he turned back over the table.

Mark smiled to himself and handed her a fork. "Let's eat!"

"I am bored" Sandy sighed before taking the first bite from Meredith's birthday cake.

"I wish I was bored, but you kind of kept me busy" Mark said. "And now I feel dead."

Sandy looked back at him worried. She was little, but she already knew what dead means.

"I was just kidding" Mark calmed her down seeing her like that. "I just very tired."

"Addie didn't come back" She said with regret.

"No and I guess will keep company to each other until your parents are back."

Sandy smiled slightly and looked back at the cake.

"Just please keep us away from trouble ok?"

"Ok" Sandy answered and stuck her fork in the cake.

"You have a boyfriend right?" Mark asked her after a while.

Sandy nodded her head without looking back at him. "Lucas; he is cute" She giggled at her on statement.

"So… then why don't you like to see people kissing? Doesn't he kiss you?"

"No" Sandy shook her head taking another bite from cake. "He doesn't like it either."

"He doesn't?!" Mark laughed. "He says that now"

Sandy didn't know what he meant to say with that so she didn't bother to answer or to find out.

After a Mark style talk, about boys and giggles, Sandy put the fork down and looked back at him with pain imprinted on her face. "My tummy hurts" She complained rubbing her abdomen.

"Yeah I know… mine hurts too!" Mark looked at him with the same pain as hers and then he looked over the cake. Just a quarter from it had been eaten by Meredith, Derek, Addison and Sandy and now after their small snack, just a quarter from it had been left. "I think we ate too much."

Sandy looked at him and nodded in agreement.

"Let's lay down a little, ok?"

"Ok" Sandy climbed down from his lap to allow him to stand up.

Mark stood up and placed the cake back into the fridge.

Walking towards the door, Sandy ran after him and stopped him by grabbing his pants. "What is it?" he asked her.

Sandy extended her arms up to him as answer.

"Ok" Mark sighed and picked her up in his arms.

"Mark?" Sandy asked him on their way to her bedroom.

"What?"

"Will you read me a story?"

"I will read you a story" he answered with pain because of the stomachache.

"Cinderella"

"Again?! You are obsessed!"

"Please, Mark!"

"Fine, Cinderella" Mark groaned. "I feel like Cinderella myself tonight!"

"You are not Cinderella" Sandy giggled in his arms.

"I so am"

"No, you are not! Cinderella is a girl and you are a boy!" Sandy was laughing. "You are so silly"

"Stop calling me silly!"

Sandy stopped calling him silly and Mark put her on her bed, while he went to look for Cinderella's story. Since that was her favorite story lately, the book was already on her nightstand, so Mark didn't have to look for it too much.

He laid down in bed himself too and Sandy crawled next to him, to listen the story.

-----------------------

**I know... this one was a boring one. I didn't want it to be boring; I had in plan to make it funny and cute, but for an unknown reason it came out like this. ****  
****I know it's called Hot date, but Sandy was Mark's "hot date" for that night ****:D ****that's why I decided to name this first part Cinderella's story. ******

**Now the second part will be a real date; MerDer's one and probably a hot one too Also in the next part you will see the consequences after this date. ******

**I know this fic is getting low, but please stick with me until end. It is really encouraging for me to know that at least one reader will be here reading the last chapter when that will come. ******

**I will try to bring up the next chapter sooner and to write it better****  
****Thank you for all your support so far! **

21


	19. Meredith Shepherd

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 19- Hot date**

**Part 2- "Meredith Shepherd"**

Walking inside the elevator together, Derek could see that Meredith was a little nervous judging by the way she was biting her lip. Derek came behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, he found a free spot on her neck and kissed it.

"What's wrong? You really are nervous for going out with me … alone?" Derek emphasized the word alone, very excited to be able to say it.

Meredith giggled slapping playfully his arm. "No"

"Well I am" Derek put his chin on her shoulder still holding her tight into him. "But then why are you being nervous?"

"I am not nervous"

"You are nervous" Derek kissed her cheek and put the chin back on her shoulder. "Why are you being nervous?" He asked her again.

Meredith sighed and leaned her head against his. "I have a feeling."

"Meredith" Derek lifted his head from her laughing. "You are pregnant and the hormones gone crazy… you said it yourself."

"It's about Sandy" Meredith turned around to him and leaned her weight on his arms.

Derek laughed and cupping her head with both hands, he pressed a kiss on her lips. "I know, but she is with Addison and I am sure they started the party already."

"I guess you are right." Meredith sighed playing with his coat's hemline.

Derek put and hand over her bump rubbing it gently "The baby is not used without Sandy and it misses its sister."

Meredith smiled and placed her hand over his, their fingers intertwining and rubbing together the silk material that was covering her bump. "I am nervous." She muttered staring down at her abdomen.

"Me too" Derek kissed her cheek and the door opened, so they walked out from it hand in hand.

As they walked out, Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson, their elder neighbors hurried to catch the elevator open. Derek helped them and held it for them.

"Where is the girl?" Mrs. Clarkson asked surprised noticing Sandy's absence.

"This is my night with Mrs. Grey, so we asked Sandy for a break." Derek informed them with a smirk on his face.

The Clarkson's smiled at each other and then they both nodded understanding at Meredith and Derek.

"Have fun!" Mr. Clarkson patted Derek's shoulder as he and his wife was stepping inside the elevator.

"Thank you!" Derek chuckled giving them a wink looking back at them over Meredith's shoulder.

Mr. Clarkson laughed and they both disappeared behind a close door, while Derek walked Meredith towards the exit. On their way out, as the door from elevator closed, Meredith slapped Derek's arm again, this time with anger.

"Ouch" Derek rubbed the spot she hit. "What was that for?"

"For being rude to our neighbors."

"I was not rude!" Derek protested offended.

"You were rude!"

"How was I rude to them?"

"You told them we are going to have sex… well you didn't actually say it, but you suggested it."

"Meredith" Derek started laughing and shook his head. "You are unbelievable."

Meredith sniffed and walked ahead from Derek, stepping outside the building without waiting for Derek to open the door for her.

Derek hurried his steps and led her to their car. He opened the door for her and then he hurried to get on the driver's seat.

As they were both fastening the seatbelt, Derek leaned on Meredith and kissed softly her lips.

"What was that for?" Meredith shot him a glare.

"What now I am not allowed to kiss you? Do I need a reason to do it?" Derek got back on his seat putting up an offended face.

Meredith knew she did not have an argument and that her coldness was just a play, so she turned her look out on window.

"I don't think I like you pregnant anymore" Derek faked a pouted face and twisted the key in ignition starting the car.

"Hey, you got me pregnant so you don't get to complain!" Meredith jumped as Derek said that pointing the finger threatening to him.

Because he didn't have speed, Derek took her hand in his with a swift move and kissed it. "So do you want to have sex at the restaurant?"

Meredith gasped offended "I can't believe what a dirty mind you have"

"I have a dirty mind?" Derek laughed paying attention to road. "You are the one who thought about it."

"I did not!"

"You did! When I told the Clarkson's that I am taking you out, I meant to say that I am taking you out, and you were the one who thought on something dirty, so you would better give me some great sex tonight for this."

Meredith held back a smile and looked back out on window.

Derek glanced her smiling satisfied and they continued their road to restaurant.

--------------------

"Derek" Meredith said his name with total shock, when she saw where he had stopped the car. It was their favorite restaurant.

Derek pretended not understanding her shock and smiled McDreamy leaning to her to kiss her cheek.

"Derek" This time Meredith looked at him as she said his name again.

"That's my name" Derek chuckled as he unfastened his seatbelt.

"Why did we come here?" She questioned him, letting the shock fade away and snapping nervous. "Do I have to remember you how our last 5 presumed dates were at this restaurant?"

Derek smiled at her and gestured his head to the backseats.

"What?" Meredith asked him confused and turned her head to look back.

"Sandy is not here with us this time" Derek smirked at her and pushed his door open.

Meredith leaned on her chair smiling contemplative at him and stood like that without even noticing when Derek opened her door and sneaked his head inside to her.

She startled when she felt Derek's hand rubbing her belly and his hot breath hovering over her neck and turning towards him, she cupped his face and kissed him feverish.

Derek could not enjoy more that kiss and took her face into his hands pressing his tongue over her teeth for a better access to her mouth.

They kissed long, none of them wanting to be the first one who breaks it. They were in the restaurant's parking lot though, so Derek pulled back smiling and gave her his hand to help her get out of the car. He put an arm around her waist, shutting the door with other one, without breaking the eye contact for a single second.

As they walked towards the restaurant's entry, Derek leaned to her ear whispering, "You really want to have sex here huh?"

Meredith shook her smiling "Don't even think about it"

"You started… with that kiss … what am I suppose to believe?" He smiled wide at her as he led her to door.

Meredith wrapped her arm around him and pinched him laughing for his comment.

"Just stop and you might get something!" Derek laughed taking her naughty hand in his. "And please don't let the hormones to ruin our date, ok?"

A man in his twenties greeted them. It was the same guy, Elbert called, who also greeted them to their 5 previous attempts of dating.

"Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd" He greeted them with his contagious smile since they first stepped inside.

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other; both smiled because Elbert called them like that since he first met them and never any of them bothered to correct him.

Elbert looked curious around them as if something was missing. "You are alone," He stated referring at Sandy's absence.

"We are alone," Derek confirmed with a smirk, tightening the hand on Meredith's waist. "She allowed me to take her mommy for myself tonight." He continued as a new smirk formed on his face.

Meredith nudged him with her elbow and shot him a glare for giving Elbert too much information.

Derek just smiled at her rubbing gently his palm on her waist. "Is our table ready?" Derek finally managed to break the distraction and asked Elbert.

"Umm" Elbert smiled visibly embarrassed.

Both, Meredith and Derek looked at each other with fear.

"We did make a reservation here, so we should have a table." Derek's cheerful attitude from seconds ago turned into a serious and reproaching one. Now that they had managed to go out with Sandy, their plans seemed to have failed again.

"You do have a table." Elbert answered with the same embarrassed smile as earlier. "Is just that we sat a table for three, you know… since you always call for a table for two, but when you come here you are three."

Derek chuckled and shook his head. No even the restaurant's staff was considering him able to bring his fiancé to a date.

"It's fine!" Meredith interfered "Let's just go, because I am getting hungry"

"Sure, follow me" Elbert motioned them and in the same time he made a sign to one of the waiters to come with them.

Elbert led them to a private area, in one of the restaurant's corners, which was separated from the rest of the restaurant by a half wall.

When Derek first brought Meredith here, the staff had prepared a very romantic atmosphere, with dim lights and alight candles, but since each time they were coming with Sandy, and those were on her dislike, this time they didn't bother to prepare something romantic, so then a 4 years child to order them to turn up the lights. This time just a small flower arrangement with roses in different colors had been prepared for them.

"You take the third set of cutlery and then bring some candles… fast!" Elbert ordered to the waiter.

"They are alone?!" He whispered surprised.

"Yes, now move and hurry back!" Elbert snapped at him.

Derek and Meredith had heard the waiter's shock to see them alone and while Derek was glaring them irritated, Meredith was smiling amused at the whole situation.

"You don't have to" Meredith told them, stopping the waiter from his track.

"Yes, you have to" Derek cut her words snapping at Elbert and the waiter.

"Derek" Meredith called his name so that she can make him aware of the inappropriate behavior he was showing to Elbert and the waiter.

"What?" He asked her confused as if he didn't deserve her twit.

Meredith smiled shaking her head. "I thought it is romantic enough that we are alone now"

"Can you blame for wanting everything to be perfect?" He chuckled.

Meredith continued to shake her head with disapprove.

The waiter took the third set of cutlery and left to bring what Elbert had asked him.

"Don't worry Mrs. Shepherd" Elbert interfered "We want you to enjoy your evening at our restaurant so we'll make sure that it's going to be like that" He smiled politely at both of them and handed them two menus. "I will come back later for your order" With that, Elbert left them alone.

Derek's arm reached over the table to her and covered her hand with his. "See? And you were yelling at me for no reason" He put a fake pouted face.

"Grow up, Derek" Meredith laughed squeezing his hand as affection.

Derek took her hand and brought it to him to kiss it. "This is why I like this place" He said smiling as he put down her hand.

"Why? Because they accept to be treated as slaves by you?" She asked him between giggles.

"That too" Derek chuckled. "And because they call you Mrs. Grey since we first came here."

"Yeah… this helps me get used with it." Meredith laughed. At that, Derek leaned over the table and caressing lovingly her cheek, he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"It should not help you too much, because it sounds so lovely." Derek chuckled as he returned to his seat. "Meredith Shepherd" He mouthed with a smirk on his face.

In no time, Elbert brought a romantic atmosphere in their area. Once that the lights went dim, a beautiful view showed up from behind the glass wall. They were at the second level of the restaurant, so the view over Seattle was more amazing. It was an unusual warm evening for end of April, especially in Seattle.

It had been cloudy in the morning, but during the day, the clouds left the sky and now when the dark fell over the town the view was panoramic. With the lights on all over the town, the lightened Space Needle, their presence there together and … alone, were making the evening look like a perfect one for their first date.

"Did you decide what you would like to order?" The waiter returned soon. Because he had asked looking at Meredith first, Derek waited for her to answer.

Meredith was in continual analyzing the menu and didn't seem to give an answer anytime soon.

"Mer, honey" Derek bent over the table to make Meredith pay attention to him. "What do you want to eat?"

Meredith looked up at him biting a nail and shrugged; then her look fell over the menu again.

"You are pregnant so you must have some cravings" Derek thought he would help her like that in making a decision by the end of the night.

Meredith slammed the menu on table nervous as her eyes glared Derek. "You know I have a strange… unsymptomatic pregnancy, so I am not craving for nothing right now."

Derek looked up at the waiter, who was looking at them strangely, and smiled. "I would like mushroom crème soup, a roasted chicken with baked potatoes and a glass of white wine." He told him, to give Meredith more time of thinking.

"Mushroom crème soup, roasted chicken with baked potatoes and a glass of white wine" The waiter repeated Derek's order as he noted down and then both looked again at Meredith, who was still looking confused over the menu.

"Mer, if you forgot how to read, just tell me and I will help you… it's not a shame you know…" Derek found it properly to joke upon that and both, the waiter and he started to laugh.

Meredith shut the menu nervous and sent it over the table, straight in Derek's chest. "I am not even hungry; I ate from my cake earlier."

Derek started to laugh harder as he caught the menu and handed it to the waiter. "Bring her the same thing as for me, except for the wine. Oh and as dessert, two cheese cakes."

"Sure" The waiter noted down again and took the menus. "Until now your daughter was ordering for Mrs. Shepherd" Because of the amusing scene, the waiter thought it was right for him to joke too, but he was wrong, because neither Meredith nor Derek took it happy, although, the waiter was right about it. Each time they came there, Sandy was helping Meredith to make a decision and because Meredith was always the last one in saying what she would like to it, the help was coming from Sandy's side. "I'll be right back" The waiter's smile faded away right away and hurried to leave.

After the waiter left, Derek moved his chair on another side on the table, closer to Meredith. He leaned his arm over her chair and kissed her cheek. "And you say you don't have any sign of pregnancy" Derek chuckled referring at Meredith's reaction when she threw the menu to him.

"I do have some… some strange ones though" Meredith smiled ashamed of her gesture.

Derek approached closer to her and the arm he was leaning on her chair, moved down on her back, while with his other hand he rubbed gently her bump. "This baby might be as moody as its mommy is during the pregnancy"

"And would you be fine with it?" She asked him.

Derek took his eyes from her belly and looked at up at her smiling. "No" Then he cupped her face and kissed her lips with love.

"You will still have to raise it," Meredith giggled pulling back from kiss.

Derek moved with his chair, back on the previous spot. "Sandy will help me with it" He assured her with a knowing smirk.

As he said that, he could see how Meredith's face frowned with worry. "What's wrong?" He asked her worried. "Don't you think she can do it?" He tried to make her smile by joking a little.

"She educated me, which I am a grown woman, so I am sure she will do a wonderful job with her sister or brother. Is just that…" Meredith wanted to continued, but she seemed as she didn't have the courage to do it.

"Is just that what?" Derek asked her with a calming tone.

"I don't want your relationship with her to change… I mean not in a negative way."

"Meredith" Derek said just that, smiling and with a disapproving move from his head.

Meredith didn't know how to interpret that, though it was obvious that Derek was disapproving her worry. "What?" She asked him quietly as if she was afraid to find out the answer.

Derek smiled and leaned over the table, propping his elbows on table. "I didn't want to bring this up to you today, but I don't want you to stay worried either so I am just going to tell you what I was thinking."

"Ok" Meredith replied hesitant waiting for his thought.

"I don't know what do you think about this, but I want you to consider it…" He started and Meredith confirmed with a nod.

"I want to adopt Sandy, after the wedding." Derek stated and paused waiting for Meredith's reaction. Because Meredith's face was unreadable in that time, Derek continued. "She will keep her parents' last name, just like now, only that instead of Grey, she will be named Shepherd." Again, Derek paused, but again Meredith was speechless and Derek added. "It might become uncomfortable for her to have a different last name than the rest of the family."

Now that he had said enough, he got quiet waiting for Meredith's answer.

Since Derek mentioned about adoption, Meredith got stunned. Her eyes were fixed over Derek's and sparkling from the few tears that were about to fill them.

"Mer" Derek reached over the table for her hand and squeezed it gently to make her come back from her trance. He managed to do it, but as he did it, Meredith burst into tears. "Oh Mer" Derek chuckled and hurried up to go to her. He put his arms around her and brought her into him, gently rubbing her back. "If you don't agree, then it's fine… I can live with it." He said softly. "She is my daughter no matter what her last name is"

When she heard Derek's last statement, Meredith burst into a harder cry and Derek found out her answer. He laughed and bent down to table to take a napkin; then he kneeled down beside her and handed it to her, brushing in the same time her hair. His head lifted a little to reach to her cheek and kissed it. "And you were saying you don't have any sign of pregnancy, besides the bump" He joked laughing and patted her belly.

Meredith didn't feel nauseous almost at all during this first five months of pregnancy; she gained in weight just as she should have and the cravings were present same as usual: just from time to time. But a sign of pregnancy was the mood swing; especially the crying. Even she admitted that in these five months she cried more than she had done it in the last two years. She was crying at jokes, of any kind, at Derek and Sandy's sweetness, at the bad news she had given to her patients' families and almost from anything. Right now, Derek was being sweet and funny, so these were enough reasons to make her continue with the crying.

Fortunately, Derek learned all these things, so after he stood up and kissed the top of her head, he returned to his seat.

"Let's try and have a quiet evening, ok?" He asked her calm and serious. "I didn't have the intention to make you cry, but I didn't want you to be worried about my future relationship with Sandy." He explained to her, knowing that a serious tone was the antidote for her cry.

Indeed, Meredith wiped her tears carefully and nodded at him. "Thank God I use waterproof products!" She joked as she took out from her a purse a small mirror.

"So you agree, right?" Derek asked her.

"I do" Meredith smiled and answered with a nod.

"We'll look for a lawyer to talk to about this, but not with that ex boyfriend of yours." He smiled referring at Nick.

"He is a divorce lawyer, so we won't call him." Meredith giggled.

"We won't call him ever in this case" Derek grinned. "You should forget his phone number."

"I already did it, but I know where his office is."

"You should forget that too, are we clear?"

Meredith laughed and nodded.

"About Sandy's bank account, we will do in that way so that you continue to be her tutor until the legal age." Derek wanted to assure her of a thing that he knew she was afraid of.

"Ok" she nodded again.

"Good, so now don't you ever dare to put yourself that question! Sandy will always be my first child, so our relationship will never cool. Besides, …" He thought it was the right time to bright her a little with another joke. "I count on her help with the baby" Derek smiled pointing to her belly. "So I have to keep her as my best friend."

This was indeed a joke that amused Meredith and she leaned over the table to kiss him.

Derek took her face into her hands and dropped a soft kiss over her lips.

"I love you!" Meredith breathed against his lips.

"I love you too!" Derek kissed her one more time before letting her go back on her chair.

"I will go to bathroom, to splash some cold water on my face." Meredith stood up as she motioned him that she needs to chill her red face. "Would you call home to see if everything is ok there?" She asked him before she left the table.

"Sure" Derek helped her with her chair and returned to his chair watching as Meredith was heading to the ladies' room. When she was out of his sight, Derek took his cell phone out of pocket and dialed home.

"_Yes"_ A male's voice barked nervous at the other end line. Derek took the phone to check the screen and see if he had dialed the right number.

"Mark?!" He asked confused as he put the phone back on ear.

"_Yes Derek; the miserable Mark."_ Mark groaned.

"Why are you answering to phone and why are you still there? Weren't you saying that you are exhausted when you got home?"

"_And I still am exhausted. I am more exhausted than ever, so please come home and save me. I promise I will put you up another date with Meredith."_

"To save you from what?" Derek asked him confused. "Where is Addison?" At this point, he started to panic.

"_She got paged and she had to leave at hospital."_

"And you are alone with Sandy?" Derek asked him shocked and a little louder than he should have.

"_Yes man and you have to come home or I swear I will personally kill Cinderella and her sisters and her step mother."_

For a second, Derek forgot about the fact that Mark was home alone with his daughter and started laughing at Mark's despair. "What?"

"_Derek, this is not funny!"_ Mark snapped angry. _"Why in the world she would want to see a story that has just ended 10 minutes ago?"_

"It's her new favorite story, so she wants to watch the video tape the whole day."

"_This girl of yours is insane… I am telling you: get out of this situation while you still can."_

"You should try and like Cinderella too, because if you will have a daughter, then there are many chances to be forced to become friend with Cinderella." Derek joked. "But now seriously speaking…" he suddenly became serious again. "I can't come home… I can't ruin this chance, so please take care of her. We won't be missing for long time so please don't let her go bald and don't kill her or I will kill you before you get to kill Cinderella."

"_Derek, right now, you are not in the condition to threat me!"_ Mark snapped at him, angrier this time.

"I know… and I am sorry, but please try to understand me. You know how much I wanted Meredith just for me this evening. Addison will come back soon right?" He asked hoping that she was called just for a consult or something that won't keep her too long at hospital."

"_I hope so, because I have no idea what I am supposed to do and to act with a child."_

"She doesn't need help for playing, you just have to make sure that she doesn't do anything naughty. Just take care of her, please! I don't want Meredith to kill me when we get home."

"_So I suppose that you won't tell her that her daughter is home alone with me."_

"If she finds out, then she would come home in a run."

"_Thanks for this tip! Luckily, I have her phone number."_ Mark said with a proud, satisfied that he had found out an escape.

Just then, Derek saw Meredith coming and hurried to hang up the phone. "Meredith is coming and I don't want her to ask Sandy to phone. Please, Mark!" With that, Derek hung up the phone without waiting for Mark's answer and put the cell phone back into his pocket.

He stood up smiling, as Meredith got closer to their table, trying to hide the events from home.

"How are they?" Meredith asked him when she sat down on her chair.

"They are having fun, of course" Derek lied and right away he felt bad for it. He knew he was doing something wrong and he didn't trust in Mark's parental skills, but they got so far with their date and there was no way for him to want to back out and tell Meredith that Sandy was home alone with Mark Sloan.

In the same time with Meredith, two waiters came to their table with their food. The first one, who arranged their table after they got there, noticed Meredith's red and puffy eyes and looked curious at Derek.

"She is just pregnant… she is fine" Derek told him laughing, when he saw the questioning look from the waiter's face and tried to banish his recent worries from his head.

For that, Meredith hit his leg under the table and giggled.

"See?" He looked up at waiter again as he bent down to scratch the hurt spot.

Both waiters smiled amused and then served them their dinner.

At first, Meredith looked curious at the aspect of her soup, not very thrilled with what she was having in front of her.

"It's good, trust me" Derek assured her while he took a sip from his bowl.

Meredith complained to Derek almost during the entire dinner upon the menu that Derek had chosen for her. They also talked a lot about their wedding, which was just one month away. Derek said that his parents were due to come to Seattle one week before the wedding and probably they would come at least with Carrie, while the rest of the family would arrive two days before the big day. They had established that his parents and Sandy's friends would stay over their new house, which was supposed to get the furniture until then, and the rest of them would stay to a hotel. As for Meredith, she wasn't that stressed with her guests, since the only persons she really wanted there were Christina, Izzie and Addison, which were also her bride maids.

When the discussion about their new house came, both Meredith and Derek started to laugh remembering what Sandy had done in the previous day.

"I told you it was a bad idea to let her draw on the walls from her room." Meredith laughed.

"I know" Derek was as amused as Meredith was. "The trees, the park, the animals, everything looks much better on her papers."

"But don't worry, when we will go there the next time, I can assure you that she will hate too and she will ask us to paint it… probably in pink."

"Are you sure?"

"I am very sure." Meredith giggled as she emphasized the word 'very'

"Thank God!" Derek laughed. "I just remembered something; I always wanted to ask you, but I never had the chance…" Derek said. "The other day I heard you fighting with Sandy, and when I asked her what was that about she said something about … your wedding dress?" He asked her confused.

Meredith just giggled and she was about to answer when the waiter brought them the dessert.

She first took a bite from her cheesecake and just then, she looked up at Derek, ready to answer. "This is probably the only thing that Sandy did choose for me and for this wedding." She said with proud.

"Oh" He smiled, but visibly disappointed.

"Please stop!" Meredith giggled when she saw his face. "I didn't want to look like Barbie in my wedding day."

"Too bad! You would have been a very hot Barbie." Derek smirked dirty at her.

"I will look hot in the dress that I choose."

Derek moved his chair and plate beside her "I am sure you will, baby" he leaned to her and kissed her on cheek. "But you have to admit that Sandy has more sense of style."

"I have sense of style too." Meredith pulled back with offense at Derek's statement.

Derek grabbed her waist with a firm hand and brought her into him. "She has more than you" He whispered as he kissed her temple. "Sorry, but don't worry, because you look incredibly sexy even if you wear that ratty shirt of yours."

Meredith felt a shiver through her body, when she felt Derek's hot mouth lowering from her neck to her bare shoulder.

"Ok…" She giggled and pushed him away. "You convinced me"

"I thought you want to have sex with me here"

"No, I don't! You had this in plan… not me."

"False, but if you don't want to admit it…" Derek smiled leaning back on his chair. "I don't want you to start crying again, so I will drop this subject."

Meredith grabbed the napkin from table and threw it in him.

"Now I will have to report this to Sandy!" Derek joked.

"You do this and then, when you will take her out to a restaurant, bear up the shame produced by Sandy's new behavior."

Derek just smiled and didn't make any comment, knowing that Sandy was still a 4 … almost 5 years old girl ready to do anything that she is not supposed to do. For example what she was about to do at home that night, while her parents were out and she was home alone with her best friend, Mark.

They continued the talk about the wedding preparations, until the waiter showed up.

"Is there anything that would you like?" He asked them politely.

"No, thank you! We are almost done." Derek answered. "Just pack us a piece of your strawberries cake and bring us the note bill."

"Right away, sir!" The waiter turned around and left.

"She is not allowed to eat sweets before bed, Derek." Meredith reproached him.

"She will eat it in the morning, besides… maybe she will be sleeping when we get home."

"I wonder what they are doing right now." She questioned more to herself as she took the last piece of cake. When Meredith looked up at Derek, she saw him playing with his napkin, staring at him with worry. "Is something wrong?" She asked him.

Derek looked up at her and forced a smile. "No" He lied, although, his thoughts were flying back home again, wondering how Mark was handling Sandy.

"Derek" Meredith said his name to make him see that she doesn't believe him.

To avoid any more questions about that, Derek smiled and leaned to her. He took her face into his heads and looked into her eyes smiling.

"What is it?" Meredith asked him a little confused.

"I love you" Derek found the right answer to make her stop worrying about him and pressed a strong kiss on her lips.

Meredith giggled as she opened her arms and wrapped them around Derek's neck, closing the distance between their bodies. She brushed her lips seductively against his, and then she parted her lips to kiss him properly.

Derek cupped her waist with firm hands and with one swift move, he brought her on his lap.

Meredith positioned herself more comfortable in his arms, leaving both legs over one side of Derek's and keeping her arms around his neck, her teeth gently bitted his ear lobe.

Derek's arms were wrapped tightly around her, enjoying the fragrance of her perfume and the sensation of her hot breath around his ear and neck. His hand defined the curve of her neck, caressing gently the spot that he kissed right after that.

Meredith let out a moan as Derek's kisses were tracing the line of her neck. Her head fell back with a louder moan of pleasure, when Derek's hand cupped one of her breasts through the navy silk material of her dress.

"Just a few a kisses, ok?" She breathed heavy when her face met his again.

"Just a few" Derek confirmed sucking with hunger her bottom lip. He pulled back a little rubbing her lips with his thumb while his eyes were lost in hers. "I hope Sandy will be sleeping when we get home." He stated, forgetting completely about how he lied to Meredith about what was going on with Sandy.

"I hope so too!" Meredith said with a giggle and the kissing break ended as soon as the last word came out of her mouth.

Although none of them meant what they said about a few kisses, they did have just a few kisses when someone cleared his throat. Instantly, Meredith stood up embarrassed avoiding making any eye contact with the waiter, who came back with their bill and Sandy's strawberries cake.

Derek paid him for their dinner, tipping well the waiter and then Elbert on their way out.

They walked out of restaurant holding hand in hand and from time to time, Derek was pulling her into him for a kiss. When they got to their car, Derek propped Meredith against it pressing his body in hers. His hands continually kept brushing the hair that the wind was bringing into her face, making it be an obstacle for their kiss.

"Derek" Meredith managed to say into his mouth.

"Yes Meredith" His answer came throaty because of the desire that had built up inside of him.

"Let's not go home right away!" Meredith pushed him back a little, keeping the small distance created between them by resting her hands on his chest.

"The car is not comfortable, Meredith! At least not in the condition you are right now." Derek stated naturally, as if he didn't understand what she was really referring at.

"Derek" Meredith started laughing. "You have a dirty mind."  
"I have a dirty mind?" Derek jumped in defense. "You proposed to have sex in car."

"Derek, stop" Meredith continued laughing. "Let's take the ferryboat on our way home… I would like you have you for me only for a little more time."

Derek smiled wide kissing her forehead. "Great plan!" He said as he opened the door from the passenger's seat.

--------------------

Meredith sunk her body in Derek's warm arms, which together with the tuxedo's jacket he had offered her, were protecting her from the chill wind that had started to blow through town. Her eyes contemplated over the city's lights ever since the ferryboat left the dock.

Derek held his arms very well wrapped around her, resting his hands over her bump, while his face was buried into her neck curve, breathing in her scent and warmth.

"I am happy, Derek" Meredith said looking ahead over the water.

That made Derek to lift his head and move one arm on the cold metal railing. "I am happy too" He declared leaving a kiss on her cold cheek.

"Derek" Meredith sad his name slowly as her attention moved on her left shoulder, where Derek was resting his chin on. "I am happy and it had for a tragedy to happen for this."

Derek saw how her eyes started to water as she said that. He smiled lovingly rubbing gently her cheek with the back of his hand. "I know… that knock out from park was a real tragedy for my head." He joked with a chuckle, trying this way not to let Meredith get depressed.

Meredith smiled weakly at him and then she moved her face ahead. This time she wasn't staring at the surroundings; she was staring at her own thoughts.

"Everything happens for a reason, Meredith." Derek said this more serious this time.

"If it wasn't for her parents' death, do you think we would have still met?" She looked at him as she put that question.

"I am sure we would have met somewhere and someday."

Meredith leaned her body and head against him, and tears started to drip from her chin as her eyes were watching the cloudy sky. "Then why did they have to die?"

Derek wiped her cheeks with both hands and then he cupped her belly. "Because this was their destiny." He whispered nuzzling through her hair as comfort. "And because this little one needs a sister." And his hand patted her bump.

Meredith glanced him with a smile and looked back over the dark water.

"I am scared Derek" She whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"You don't have to."

Meredith turned around without leaving the area of his embracing and put her hands on his chest. "I don't know anything about raising a baby, changing diapers, breast feeding and all the things I should know about the baby's first year of life. I know theory and I know what a disaster was when I tried to change Sandy's diaper."

"I bet her parents didn't know too much about all these either, but they still did a great job… a great job which you continued successfully." Derek assured her. "I don't know about these either, so…" Derek laughed looking away with some embarrassment.

"So what?" Meredith asked him amused.

"I asked my sisters and brother's-in-law and they all said that these things come to us naturally in the second that you first hold your baby in your arms."

"Ok then" Meredith smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping both arms around him.

Derek hugged her tight trying as much as possible to embrace that moment… their moment. "We'll be fine!" He assured her one more time, with more confidence this time.

"I hope it's a girl." Meredith muttered right after his statement.

"I hope it's a boy." Derek said with a chuckle.

Meredith pulled back and looked at him with a glare.

"Or twins" He said with a smirk.

Meredith gasped and slapped his arm. "You would better not pray for twins."

"Why? Two boys in a house already full with girls… I need to survive somehow."

"In this case I hope we'll have twins girls so that Sandy and I can teach them where are the best clothes boutiques." Meredith stated with a smirk that made Derek to look at her frightened.

"Ok… if you are putting this way, then I give up; it better be just one… boy or girl, it doesn't have any importance."

"Good boy!" Meredith giggled as she cupped his face and kissed his pouted lips.

Derek laughed enjoying himself with his hand rubbing Meredith's butt. "Good posterior!" He smirked as he patted her lower back.

"You are such a pig sometimes." Meredith laughed taking his hand away from her butt.

Derek laughed and grabbing one of her arms, he twisted her around so that he can have her back against him again. He put his arms around her, his chin resting on her shoulder again, while his hands had restarted to caress her bump. "Don't you want to find out the baby's sex before it's born?"

"I don't know… do you want to?" Meredith asked him.

"I would want to… if this is possible, then why should we wait until it's born."

"Because of the surprise."

"In this case I don't want to be surprised and I think we should know so that we can start preparing ourselves."

"I guess you are right."

"I am always right" Derek chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah… like you had when Sandy convinced you to let her paint her own room."

"Ok, I was wrong then… I was wrong just once."

"If you think you are so smart…" Meredith started and looked back at him smiling. "Then what is the sex of the baby?"

Derek chuckled squeezing gently her cheek. "That's easy" He said. "It's a boy."

"Ok" Meredith giggled looking back over the water and sat her head down on his shoulder. "We'll find out at our next appointment."

"Should we bring Sandy with us next time?" He asked her. "She would like to be with us when we will find out."

"We should, though I think she would be able to strangle Izzie, if she tells us that the baby is a boy."

"We should prevent that and warn her now that she will have a brother." Derek laughed.

"You should keep your mouth shut about this when you are around her because she might strangle you too."

"This will never happen." Derek stated very sure on himself. "She loves her daddy too much."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Meredith giggled and patted his arms.

"You don't know her at all." Derek said as he shook his head, acting disappointed.

"If you say so, by the way…" she turned to him again as she remembered something. "Did you know that Addison taught her to change diapers?"

"She did?" Derek started laughing. "In this case we should not worry, although… the reality is crueler."

"And much stinky." Meredith completed him.

"True."

Meredith put her arms around his neck and her body leaned on him. She ran her hands through his hair, smiling broadly as her their eyes made a full contact. "I can't believe how many things had happened to me in these past years and I can't believe how many things happened to me and to Sandy in just one year." She swallowed a lump as tears streamed down from her cheek. "My whole life was a mess and now… now is so… so perfect. I never felt this happy as I feel right now."

"Mer" Derek smiled bringing her head to him and brushed his cheek against hers.

Meredith burst into a harder cry as Derek did that and hung on his neck.

"I love you so much." She whispered through sobs.

Derek hugged her tighter for a moment and then he pulled back wiping the few tears from his face. "I am sorry! I am not even pregnant." He chuckled.

Meredith giggled and kissed softly his lips.

"I love you too, Mer!" Derek wiped one of her cheeks with his hand, keeping it then on her face. "More than you can imagine. It has been a blessing year for me to meet you and Sandy and to have you here now… carrying this baby, to hear the waiters calling you already Meredith Shepherd."

"Derek" Meredith sobbed. "I need you to stop and I need you to give me a Kleenex or a handkerchief."

Derek chuckled and put his hand in the pocket of the jacket she was wearing taking out a handkerchief.

Meredith took it immediately and blew her nose in it, then she used the jacket's sleeves to wipe her face.

"I am sorry! I didn't mean to break down like this and ruin our date." She whispered embarrassed.

"Mer, look at me!" Derek lifted her face to him. "This was the best part from our date."

"So the date was that crappy?" She asked her worried.

"The dinner was perfect, the ride with the ferryboat was perfect, your break down was perfect, every single second spent it with you was perfect."

"Ok" Meredith smiled as a last sob went out through a hiccup.

"And you know what would make this even more perfect?" He asked her.

Meredith looked at him curious and shook her head.

"To go home at Sandy, tell her good night and have sex."

"You are right." Meredith giggled and when she saw him opening his mouth to say something, she covered it laughing. "I know you are always right and you are… except for the baby's sex."

Derek laughed bringing her back into a strong hug.

--------------------

The ride back home was a full of laughs one, remembering the holiday they spent it in New York, Meredith teasing him again with the idea of having twin girls and Derek joking upon Meredith's outbursts.

Derek stopped the car the in front of their building and Meredith's wide smile faded away in the second she saw Addison getting out of the car.

"Is that, Addison?" Meredith asked in shock.

Derek looked out on window and saw her too. Immediately, he remembered everything that he knew about her and about Mark being alone with Sandy and clenched his teeth of guilt and worry. He had forgotten about that hoping that Addison would get back home before them. Now that Meredith found out, all he was wishing for was that she would not get mad and that everything was all right upstairs.

Meredith didn't wait for his answer and didn't pay attention to him either, hurrying outside.

"Addison" She called her name as her steps hurried towards her.

Addison froze with a foot up on the first stair when she heard her name coming from Meredith's mouth. "Crap" She muttered to herself and turned her head back to see Meredith coming towards her. "Meredith" she put up a fake smile.

"What happened, Addison?" Meredith asked her with panic. "Where is Sandy?"

"Sandy… she is upstairs" Addison answered with the same struggle to keep her voice and attitude natural.

"Alone?!" Meredith snapped with stupor.

"Umm…no" Addison answered, forcing more this time to keep that fake smile on her lips. "She is with Mark"

Meredith gasped. "You left my daughter alone with Mark, what was in your head, Addison? Why didn't you send him outside if you needed anything?"

Addison remained quiet at Meredith's question. It's didn't take long to Meredith to realize what had happened. "Don't tell me…" She glared her friend and started running up on stairs to get inside.

In the meantime, Derek locked the car and came to them. When Meredith stormed out of stairs, he got behind with Addison.

"You knew?" Addison asked him worried.

Derek just nodded his head and together with Addison, he followed Meredith inside the building.

--------------------

Meredith used her key to unlock the door and immediately she stormed inside. As she walked in living room, Meredith saw the coffee table upside-down and all of Sandy's crayons and papers on floor.

"What…" Derek was as shocked as Meredith was when he saw the disaster that Mark had produced when Sandy woke him up with her broken jar.

"Sandy?" Meredith called her looking around the apartment and headed towards her bedroom.

Addison and Derek followed her closely and when she opened the door from Sandy's bedroom, all three of them froze in the doorway.

Sandy was sleeping nestled on Mark's body, while Mark was snoring with his face in her head, holding both arms protectively wrapped around her little body.

"I can't believe this." Meredith whispered in daze.

"Me neither." Derek stated.

A sound came out of Addison's mouth as if she was about to say a word, but immediately she burst into tears and left the room.

Derek and Meredith looked at her amused and then at each other.

"This looks weird." Meredith smiled as she continued to watch her daughter sleeping in the arms of the man who months ago locked her into a bedroom.

"They survived" Derek sighed with relief now that he knew her in safe and put his arms around Meredith.

Meredith pulled away in the next second going closer to their bed. She had noticed Mark's bandaged hand and wanted to see if everything was fine with Sandy.

"What happened to his hand?" She asked in whisper, looking carefully to see if there is any sign of wound on Sandy.

"She is fine… who knows what happened to him." Derek said. "Mark" He whispered shaking slowly, Mark's arm. "Mark" He called his name again when he saw that no sign was coming from him.

"Maybe we should let him sleep here." Meredith suggested.

"With Sandy? Are you sure?" Derek asked her surprised by her suggestion.

"He can't wake up and … they look cute together." Meredith giggled.

"You go and calm Addison down and I put a blanked over them." Derek said.

Meredith bent to her daughter and kissed her temple. "Good night, baby!" She caressed gently her head and then she walked out.

Returning in living room, Meredith found Addison crying on her couch with her head in palms.

"Addison, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Meredith asked her, even if that was a stupid question, since she had cried a lot all evening without something bad to happen.

"Didn't you see him?" Addison sobbed and looked up at Meredith. Her black mascara had already formed black line along her face.

Meredith smiled and took a seat beside her. She rubbed Addison's back making circles on it. "You should go home and sleep. It looks like he will sleep over here."

"I am sorry, Mer!" Addison wiped her tears as she stood up. "I didn't plan to stay that long at hospital."

"It's fine, Addie." Meredith assured her with a smile. "They are alive and this is all that matters."

"Thanks, Meredith! How was your date?"

"Teary" Meredith giggled.

"The pregnancy… I blame the pregnancy for this."

"Me too." Meredith laughed and led her friend to door. "Good night, Addison!"

"Good night, Mer!"

As she closed the door, Derek came out of Sandy's room. "Is she alright?"

"She is pregnant." Meredith giggled.

"Oh, I am familiar with that." Derek laughed and pick up the pack with Sandy's strawberries cake, which he had dropped on couch, when they saw the mess. "I will put this in fridge."

"And I will clean up a little around here."

Meredith had picked up Sandy's things from floor and she was about to bring the coffee table back on the upside position when Derek called her from kitchen. She left the table as she found it and went to see what Derek wanted from her.

When she walked in kitchen, Derek was cleaning up the table.

"What is it?" Meredith asked him.

"Come" Derek motioned her to follow him to bin. "I think we know now what the cause of Mark's bandage is." He said showing her the broken jar.

"And I also think I know who caused it." Meredith smiled at Derek with a disapproving shake from her head.

"Yeah… Sandy"

"Sandy and her passion for cooking."

"Oh and they didn't leave much from your birthday cake." Derek informed her with suggestive smile.

"He is going to be a horrible father." Meredith sighed as she shook her head.

"Give him some credit, Mer! They both survived through this evening and the damage doesn't seem that bad. He is making progresses."

"Too bad he makes them on my daughter."

Derek just laughed and took her hand. "Let's forget about this right now and continue are date." As he said that and Meredith answered with a giggled, Derek put an arm around her and led her outside the kitchen.

Derek closed the door from their bedroom and locked it, while Meredith took a seat on the bed's edge waiting for him to join her. After he locked the door and turned his attention over Meredith's, Derek smiled suggestively as he started to undo his tie. He walked towards her and stopped right in front of her and threw away the tie on floor. Then he gave her his hand and made her stand up.

Meredith leaned on him unbuttoning the first buttons from his shirt without breaking the eye-contact she had made with him.

While Meredith undid his shirt, with one swift move, Derek unzipped her dress; being a …. One made its way down her body very easily.

"I love this type of dresses." Derek chuckled as his hands were already defining the outline of her body.

"I know" Meredith pulled his shirt off his shoulders and down his body joining her dress. She walked out of the dress and got in bed; she leaned down onto her back inviting Derek to join her.

Derek watched with awe the forms of the woman he was madly in love with, enjoying the view her almost naked body was offering him. With the urge to get down next to her, Derek stumbled a little when he undid his belt and disposed the pants.

"Finally" Meredith giggled, when Derek's body came down leaning on her.

"Sorry, but you make me nervous." Derek searched for the spot where to start from. At first it was her mouth and then her chin, he kissed them softly to get her ready for the next step.

Meredith let her hands ran through his hair as each spot from her face and neck were being wet by his mouth and clenched them in it when Derek's fingers started to define the shape of her breasts.

"Oh no" Derek stopped after awhile and looked behind Meredith.

"What?" Meredith asked him confused arching her neck to back so that she can see what had distracted Derek from sex.

Derek grabbed her chin in time to block her view. "You don't want to see this." He said as her pressed a strong kiss over her lips.

Of course, Derek's words and reaction made her even more curios, so she took his hand away from her face and looked back.

Neither of them turned on the light when they got in bedroom, but through the dark Sandy's mess on Meredith's make-up table was still visible. Not entirely, but enough to let them know what else had happened in there. Both started laughing.

"I don't want to imagine how she looked like." Meredith giggled returning on her back.

"Me neither."

"We'll discuss upon this later, now let's go back to our date." Meredith suggested as she hung on his neck and lifted her body to him.

Derek sneaked a hand under her and slowly, he let her fall back on bed, lowering his body gently over hers. With a full kiss, Derek restarted tracing kisses along Meredith's curves, as his other hand started massaging stronger and stronger her full and hard breast, until Meredith's moans turned into a quiet gasp of pain.

"That hurts, Derek" Meredith informed him as she put a hand over the one he was cupping her breast with.

"Sorry" He apologized to her with a soft kiss on lips and then with gentle kisses and caresses around the hurt breast. He then did the exact same thing, in a more gentle manner to her other breast encouraged by Meredith's moans of pleasure.

"This feels… strange" She giggled.

Derek had lowered his head down to her abdomen before she said that, and he looked up at her. "What feels weird?"

"To have sex while your best friend is sleeping with our daughter in the room."

"He is dead-beat, so you can yell as loud as you want and you know Sandy… she doesn't wake up that easy." Derek looked up at her with a suggestive smirk on his face.

"Ok…" Meredith giggled. "It's still awkward, but at this point… I don't care that much."

Derek ran his hand along her body, starting from her chest and ending at her bump, which he circled it gently. "I thought so too." He stated without taking his eyes from the place where his baby was developing and as he said that, he kissed her belly. He hovered over it for a while as if he was contemplating on it.

"I know it's sexy, but it's not sexy for me so you might consider and keep moving." Meredith's giggled broke Derek's small trance and chuckled as he made his way up to her again, taking out the hand he was keeping under her and moving in down between her legs.

Their mouths found each other once again and connected into a passionate kiss, while Derek's hand was massaging her inner thighs.

"Is this sexy?" He breathed out against her lips when his hand moved against her black lacy panties.

Meredith arched her back to him and her legs closed his hand between them, when she felt Derek's warm hand over her panties. "Very sexy" She cupped his face panting heavy and kissed him. "Derek"

"Yes, Mer" He answered not paying too much attention to her call as he continued to send shivers through her body with every squeeze and kiss on her skin.

"I love you" She breathed out as her eyes closed and her head arched to back.

Derek looked at her with a chuckle and his finger ran over her jaw. "You are saying this only because I am having sex with you."

Meredith opened her eyes coming back from the ecstasy he had sent her and looked at him with a hurt look. "Not true"

"Really?" Derek kissed her jaw laughing.

Meredith smiled as she realized that he was teasing her. "I do" she smiled seductively. "I love you!"

"Good then, because I love you too" He kissed her lips again and parted them with his tongue, making his access into her mouth.

"Derek" Meredith called his name again.

"Yes, Mer"

"I need you" She continued breathing heavy.

Derek stopped everything he was doing in that moment and laid down beside her. "You do?" He asked her with a tempting voice as his fingers circled her belly and made its way up to her breasts cupping them and squeezing them gently. Then, he slipped his hand back down to her panties and started pushing them down her legs.

Meredith lifted her hips a little so that Derek can drag them down her legs.

Once the small fabric patch was down, Meredith flipped him onto his back and mounted him. She lowered her body down to him, propping her hands on his chest and brushed her lips against his. She bite is bottom lip and then his chin, moving the kissing down to his neck.

Derek received her treatment with a satisfied moan and his hands sunk into her hair.

From his neck, Meredith moved lower to his chest kissing it and caressing until she reached to his boxers. With both hands she grabbed the band hem and pulled them down. After she disposed them, she sat back on his legs as her fingers gently wrapped around his member.

"Oh Mer" Derek moaned louder at her touch, taking her waist into his hands.

Meredith rubbed it slowly just a few times and then she guided it inside of her.

Derek let her keep the control of her moves on him and he just rested his hands on her hips and from time to time brushing over her full breasts.

The ride to the climax was enjoyable, both gasping each time Meredith's muscles were tightening around him.

Meredith fell down in Derek's arms, trying to recover her senses after her act with Derek. Derek received her next to him in his arms, kissing and brushing gently her hair.

"Happy birthday, Mer!" He whispered as he kissed her forehead.

Meredith looked up at him smiling and returned the kiss on his cheek. "Happy anniversary, Derek!"

"It was a great date."

"It was" Meredith confirmed as she put her head back down on his chest.

Both stood there in silence embracing their moment of love together, until a thud made them instantly jumped up on their sits scared. They looked at each other and without any word, Meredith grabbed a sheet from bed and wrapped it around her while Derek found Meredith's bathrobe on a chair and put it on.

They hurried out of the room and headed straight to Sandy's room, from where the noise came from.

When they turned on the lights, they saw Mark standing up in his feet and rubbing his back with a whining face and Sandy was in her sit, in the middle of the bed rubbing sleepy her eyes.

"What happened?" Derek asked Mark.

"Her bed is too small" Mark answered with a yawn " and I fell off the bed."

"Mommy?" Sandy hadn't opened her eyes yet, but she presumed that her mommy was there too.

Meredith hurried to her bed and sat down next to her. "Mommy is here" She pulled her to bring her on her lap. Meredith kissed her head and rubbed gently her back.

Sandy put her head down on Meredith sleepy and wrapped her arms around one of Meredith's arms.

"You are home… good then, it means that I can go home." Mark stated between yawns.

"I'll walk you out!" Derek led him outside "And thank you for not killing Cinderella and her friends!" Derek chuckled as he patted his friend's back.

In the meantime, Sandy continued to rest in her mother's arms enjoying the lovely cuddle she was receiving from her mother.

"Did you have a good time this evening?" Meredith asked her.

"Uh huh" Sandy nodded her head sleepy. "Mommy, my tummy hurts a little." She raised her head to look up at her mommy.

"It does?" Meredith asked her laughing knowing the reason for her pain. "Do you want me to bring you some cake?"

"No" Sandy frowned and shook her head firmly.

Meredith laughed and stood up from her bed. "Go back to sleep and you will feel better until morning." As she said that, Meredith lifted the covers so that Sandy can get in.

Sandy crawled to the place her mother had prepared for her and slid in. "Mommy, are you naked?" She asked her when she saw what Meredith was wearing.

Meredith giggled a little embarrassed and tightened the knot of her sheet around her.

"Why are you wearing a sheet?" Sandy continued to ask her curious.

"Because… because I was changing into my pajamas when Mark fell off the bed and I hurried to come and see what happened."

"Ok" Sandy closed her eyes satisfied with Meredith's answer.

"Good night sweetie!" Meredith leaned down to her and kissed her.

"Mommy?" Sandy opened her eyes again.

"What is it?"

"Can I sleep with you, please?"

"No, you can't!"

"Why, mommy?"

"Because you are a big girl and you must sleep in your own bed." Meredith stated.

Sandy crossed her hands into a fist as plead. "Please mommy!"

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Derek returned in her room and asked as he had overheard the last lines between Sandy and Meredith.

"Daddy" Sandy jumped up on her sit happy to see him. She opened her arms as invitation for him to come and hug her.

Derek did as Sandy asked him and taking her seat beside her, he pulled her into his arms.

"Can I sleep with you, daddy?" Sandy asked him hopefully.

"You are a big girl and big girls should sleep in their own beds." Derek told her the same thing he had overheard from Meredith.

"I am not big." Sandy broke the hug and looked up at him innocent.

"Go back to sleep Sandy because tomorrow will have to talk about the broken jar and about the mess from my make-up table." Meredith told her, more serious this time, knowing that this might be a way to make her sleep alone.

Sandy smiled as if she understood what her mother was referring at and put her head down on pillow. "Night, mommy! Night, daddy!" She whispered as she closed her eyes.

Derek and Meredith smiled at each other happy and then, both of them gave her a goodnight kiss and returned to their room.

Meredith sat down on bed and unwrapped the sheet from her body, while Derek took off his bathrobe and threw it back on the chair he had taken it from. Then, he got in bed next to Meredith and kissed her shoulder. "We still have one hour left from this day. What do you say to end it properly?" He suggested.

Meredith kissed his cheek and laid down. "Ok, but first give me a second to calm down."

--------------------

After another round of making love, Meredith and Derek fell in each other's arms, sweaty and breathless.

They didn't have enough time to catch up their breaths entirely, because they soon heard Sandy crying and calling for her mommy.

"Give me the bathrobe." Meredith asked to Derek pointing to the robe that Derek had previously used too. "And you should get dressed yourself too, because she might come here."

Derek did as Meredith asked him and after she threw the bathrobe on her and hurried outside.

Through the dark from hall, Meredith spotted Sandy's little silhouette heading with small and scared steps towards their bedroom.

Meredith turned on the light and hurried to see what was wrong with her daughter.

"Mommy" Sandy shouted when she saw her mommy there and stopped reaching out the arms for her to come and get her.

"What happened, baby?" Meredith kneeled in front of her and pulled her into her arms.

"Mommy… I you want you to stay my mommy… I don't… I don't want to go back to them." Sandy had buried her face in Meredith's chest and started sobbing as her fists clenched on her mother's fluffy bathrobe.

"Go back where, sweetie?" Meredith asked her holding protectively both arms around her.

"To my other… mommy… and daddy."

Meredith took her head into her hands and lifted her face up to her. She smiled warmly and kissed her forehead while the two thumbs wiped her face. "Sandy, you will stay with me and Derek from now on."

"But they came here" Sandy's forehead frowned because of the fear. "And they told me to go home with them because they are back."

Meredith frightened a little, even if she didn't believe messages sent by dreams. "It was just a dream, Sandy."

Because Meredith and Sandy had stayed there in all this time, Derek came out to see what was happening.

"What's wrong?" He asked as she stopped right next to them.

"She dreamed Clara and James" Meredith answered still trying to wipe the tears that continued to stream from Sandy's eyes.

"Come" Derek bent down to Sandy and picked her up in arms, then he helped Meredith to get back on her feet and led them into their bedroom.

Once that Derek put her down on bed and let her out of his arms, Sandy looked desperately to go in Meredith's when Meredith got back in bed.

"Lay down here with us and try to sleep." Meredith lifted the covers so that Sandy can get in.

Sandy crawled to her and snuggled under sheets at her mother's chest. "Promise me, mommy!" She looked up at her with plead.

"Promise you, what?"

"Promised me that you won't let me go back to them."

Meredith smiled weakly at Derek and she kissed Sandy's head. "I promise!"

"Promise, promise?" Sandy asked her one more time.

"Promise, promise!" Meredith assured her and once again she felt her heart being ripped in two because of the pain and of guilt.

Derek reached with his head to Meredith's face and rubbed her both cheeks to make hold back her tears.

Meredith smiled at Derek's attempt of comfort.

After Meredith's double promise, Sandy calmed down and seemed to have fallen asleep. But Meredith knew she was still awake, because from time to time she was wiping her cheeks with the sleeve from her pajama or she was removing strands of hair from her face.

"It was just a dream, Sandy and I also told you this before… from where your parents are now, unfortunately they can't come back to you and you don't have to be afraid of them each time they show up in your dreams. They miss you and this is how they visit you. They love you and they would never hurt you." At this point, as she was rubbing gently Sandy's back, Meredith's attempts not to cry failed. "You know we all have a guardian angel… well you are lucky and you have three instead of one" Meredith stated. "They will always protect you so never be scared when you dream them, ok?"

Sandy just sighed keeping her eyes closed and brought a hand up on her chest. "Hold me hand, mommy!" She asked her.

Meredith looked at Derek disappointed and took Sandy's hand in hers.

"Maybe we should see a therapist for this." Derek suggested after he saw how both were suffering because of Sandy's dead parents.

"Maybe" Meredith muttered as she buried her face in Sandy's head.

Derek leaned over both of them and kissed them. "Good night, Mer! Good night, Sandy!"

"Good night, Derek!" Meredith was the only one who answered him.

Derek laid back down and coming closer to them he put an arm over both of them, making them look as if they were sleeping into a single hug.

--------------

**This was a very long chapter. I am not very sure how great it came out, but I hope that you enjoyed it just a little.  
Now I am a little confused with what should I write in the next chapter. I have ideas for two more new chapters than the ones I had in plan, but I am not sure if you are still interested to read them.  
I know it takes me forever to update this one, so I understand if you got bored of it.**

As note about this chapter... well, in my opinion, it had everything in it;laughes, tears, romance. I have to confess that writing fluffy scenes are not my best skill. As for Sandy's outburst with the dream about her parents, I was thinking to write a chapter just about this subject and show more how she really feels about them, but this is one of the 2 new chapters that came in mind so it's up to you if you want me to write about it.  
The writing for this one was not so great, so please tell me what you liked and disliked at this one  
Dana

28


	20. It was one year ago

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 20- It was one year ago**

It was one year ago when Derek woke up in his best friend's apartment after only a few days since his arrival in Seattle.

It was one year ago when Derek woke up with the only thing that was concerning him at that time: the plan he was supposed to present to the board for the Chief as Surgery's race.

It was one year ago when his only goal was how to be a greater doctor.

After one year, Derek woke up in the same bed in which he woke up most of the mornings- with the exception of the nights when he was on call- in the past year.

Now, after one year, he woke up with a different smell of his sheets and different thoughts on his mind.

It was the scent of the woman he loves and there were the thoughts of what their baby's sex would be, Sandy's first day of kindergarten, Meredith's mood swings and the possibilities to make her have them as rare as possible, his soon to come wedding and all the things about his new family life.

Derek rolled over sleepy under the white cotton sheets and his arm fell over Meredith's side of bed. Just that his arm found only a cold sheet and pillow. His eyes fluttered open adjusting at the sun's light that was coming through the left open curtains. With the dim sight, he turned around and looked over the clock from his nightstand. It was 10 minutes before 6 a.m. and 10 minutes before their wake up call.

Derek could hear some voices outside the room, so he understood that his girls were already up. He would have loved to join them, but he was feeling still very tired and the sheets seemed to call him back between their warmth. Derek drew the cover back up on him and taking Meredith's pillow he hugged it and snuggled against it.

10 minutes later, two different noises, both very loud, made Derek jump up in his seat scared and with a crazy heartbeat rate. Only after he rubbed his face frustrated and calmed down a little, Derek could realized that the alarm started to blare in the same time with his cell phone. He hit the button to stop the alarm, while with his other hand, he picked up the cell phone from his nightstand.

He looked at the caller's ID and saw his mother's name.

With a swift move he flipped it open and answered sleepy, "Morning, mom!"

"_Good morning, Derek!"_ His mother's cheerful voice made him giggle.

In the same time, the door from his bedroom opened and the little girl brought a smile on her face as she saw her daddy.

When Derek saw her and smiled back, Sandy let the door's knob go and ran to his bed. With Derek's help, who dragged her up, Sandy got up in bed and kneeled on his lap to kiss his cheeks. "Morning, daddy!"

"Good morning sweetie!" Derek returned the kisses to her cheeks.

"_Is that, Sandy?"_ Helen asked him on phone.

"Yeah" Derek answered simple as he watched how Sandy moved in bed and put her head down on his lap.

"_How is she?"_

Derek saw some sadness in Sandy's gestures and her eyes, and not even the smile she showed him when she walked in, it was as bright as it should have been. "I am not … sure."

"_Put her on phone after we talk and I will cheer her up. But first tell me how are you? How is Meredith?"_

"Meredith is fine… I guess. She is probably getting ready for work and me… well, you called in the same time with the alarm so this caused a small heart attack and a small rupture of a blood vessel inside my brain." Derek answered facetiously.

"_You still have the energy to joke, so you will survive!"_ Helen joked as she giggled.

"I will do my best." Derek replied laughing and started to brush Sandy's hair using his free hand.

"_Happy Anniversary, Derek!"_

"Thank you, mother!" Derek chuckled surprised by the importance that his mother was giving to that day.

"_You still don't have any plan for today?" _

"Mom, I told you… we celebrated it two days ago. Today I couldn't ask for another day off, so I am planning to spend the evening with the girls." Derek said. "Maybe in park" He mentioned the word 'park' trying to get Sandy's attention.

He did get it, because Sandy looked up at him and grinned. Derek chuckled and bent over her to kiss her.

"_It sounds like good plan." _

"Yeah, well I couldn't think of anything better."

"_Did you talk to Meredith about a potential nanny? You really will need one and you should not be ashamed that you need help."_

"No, not yet! I will suggest it to her today."

"_I am sorry we don't live closer to each other. I would have loved to look out for my other two grandchildren."_

Derek smiled with sadness at that. He would have loved too to have his mother taking care of his children as she did with his sisters' children. "I know, mom! It would have been great."

"_Yeah"_ Derek could hear her sighing on phone. _"Now put Sandy on phone and say hello to Meredith!"_

"I will. Bye mom!"

"_Good bye Derek and we'll talk again soon."_

Derek took the phone from his ear and put it in front of Sandy's. "Grandma wants to talk to you!"

Sandy got up on her sit happy with the news and took the cell phone from her dad. "Grandma" She almost yelled happy.

"_Good morning, Sandy! How you are you sweetie?"_

"I miss you." She answered with sadness. "And I am very bored."

Derek smiled to himself as he heard her, now knowing the reason for her pouted look.

"_You are still grounded, huh?"_ Helen asked with kindness.

"Yes" Sandy answered mostly as in a whisper and nodded.

"_You have to learn, Sandy, that you can't sneak your nose where you know very well that you are not allowed too. Your parents have a reason for which they don't allow you to play in kitchen or with their personal stuff. You saw how Mark hurt himself with the jar you broke."_ Derek had told his mother about what Sandy did two evenings ago when she got left home alone with Mark, and now Helen was trying to explain her what everybody else explained her also.

Sandy answered her with a nod from her head, very sad and looking as if she was aware of the bad things that she did in that night.

Helen laughed guessing Sandy's reaction. _"Now don't stay pouted and show your parents that you can listen them. Apologize for what you did and I am sure that they will forgive you."_

"I apologized," She said quietly looking up at Derek.

"_Well then, do it again! They won't let you grounded forever, ok?"_ Helen tried to convince her to cheer her up.

"Ok" Sandy replied more confident this time.

"_Now I have a surprise for you."_

"What is it?" Sandy asked her with excitement.

"_In two weeks we'll see each other again and I will also bring Carrie and Mia with me."_

"Really?" Sandy jumped up on her feet smiling wide at Derek. "Cool. I can't wait!"

"_We can't wait either. Everybody misses you here."_ Helen laughed _"But who taught you this word?" _

Sandy giggled looking at Derek, who was looking at her surprised. "Mark"

"_Sure… who else?"_ Helen started laughing in the same time with Derek

"_I have to tell you goodbye now, because I know you have to get ready for daycare. Grandpa is sending you kisses." _

"And I kiss grandpa too and you grandma." Sandy left a sloppy kiss on the phone's speaker.

Helen had started laughing when she heard her noisy kiss. _"Goodbye, Sandy!"_

"Bye grandma!" And as she said that, Sandy handed the phone back to Derek.

Derek took it laughing and wiped it with the cover.

"Grandma's coming in two weeks, she said." Sandy sat down next to Derek smiling happy.

"In two weeks?!" Derek asked her confused. "Are you sure she said two weeks?" he asked her, knowing that she was supposed to come in three weeks.

"Yes" Sandy nodded from her head firmly. "Daddy?" She put the smile aside and looked at him guilty.

"What is it?"

"I am sorry I broke the jar and I am sorry I played with mommy's co…cos…uh…" She started to apologize but the word 'cosmetics' seemed to give her troubles.

"Cosmetics" Derek helped her laughing.

"Cosmetics" Sandy repeated smiling.

"I know you are sorry and I forgive you, but you should say this to mommy, because the cosmetics were hers."

"Ok" Sandy smiled confident and hung on his neck with a purpose.

She knew that Derek was going to stand up from bed, so she stayed hung on his neck, so that she can be carried out of bed.

Derek picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and took her out of bed. Then, he kneeled to put her down, but because she refused to let him go, Derek gave up and carried her out of the bedroom.

Because he heard noises coming from kitchen, Derek headed towards there, still carrying Sandy in his arms. When he walked in, he found Meredith with her back turned to door, working on something on table. Derek bent down and silently gestured to Sandy to let him go. As she did that, Derek approached Meredith closely and wrapped his arms around her waist. Meredith hadn't heard either of them, since both were so quiet, so when she felt Derek's arms around her, she startled a little scared.

"Morning" Derek spoke up nuzzling into her neck.

"Hey" Meredith turned her head to him smiling. "I didn't hear you coming."

"I talked to mom and she says 'hi'" Derek kept his entire attention on Meredith's neck.

" 'Hi back'" Meredith giggled at the shivers that Derek's small beard was giving her.

Derek pressed a strong kiss on her cheek and then he put his chin on her shoulder. "What are you doing here?" He asked her curious as he saw slices of bread and the peanut butter jar open.

"I am making the breakfast." She replied very proud continuing wiping the full of peanut butter knife over a slice of bread.

Derek pulled back instantly with a swift move, he took the knife from her hand and slowly he pushed her away from table. "Sandwiches for breakfast, Meredith?!" He snapped at her intrigued. "This is not even breakfast. You need something more consistent. Right, Sandy?" He asked turning his head towards her.

Sandy grinned and nodded. "Cereals"

"No; cereals neither!" Derek replied reproachable. "Let's try some scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese and then some pancakes."

Sandy approved him with a firm nod from her head, while Meredith shrugged indifferent and gave up taking a seat on table.

While Derek started to prepare all the ingredients for their breakfast, Sandy came over to Meredith and leaned her body on her. "Mommy" she said to her in a low voice.

"What is it?" Meredith asked her with kindness and started to brush her hair using her fingers.

"I am sorry I broke the jar and I am sorry I used your cose… uh…" she then looked confused at Derek.

Derek heard her and looked back at her. "Cosmetics."

"Your cosmetics" Sandy repeated after him. Meredith opened the mouth to say something, but Sandy cut her off. "I know I could have hurt as Mark did. I am sorry, mommy!"

Meredith smiled wide her at her kissed her forehead. "I know you are sorry, sweetie and I forgave you."

Because her mother didn't mention anything about her punishment, Sandy back out very disappointed and took a seat on table across from Meredith.

"What is wrong?" Meredith asked her when she saw Sandy's depressed gestures.

Sandy didn't look up at her and just shrugged from her shoulders.

"I think it has something to do with the fact that she is grounded." Derek informed her while he cracked the first egg into a bowl.

"This is the reason for your pouting?" Meredith asked her with a giggle. "Don't you know that your penitence ended already?"

Sandy looked up at her surprised.

"You had two days of punishment, and yesterday was the last day." Meredith continued to clarify that. "You can have your books and DVDs back."

Sandy walked over the Meredith and wrapped her small arm around Meredith's waist. "Thank you, mommy!" She grinned up at her.

Meredith cupped her face and brought it up to her to kiss her nose. "You have to learn to behave yourself from now on; in just a few weeks you will go to kindergarten and there you will have to show your teach what a nice and smart girl you are."

Sandy nodded very convincing. "I am good girl now."

"Promise?" Meredith asked her smiling and as she raised an eyebrow at her.

"Pormise."

"Promise, promise?" Meredith asked her again doing the exact same thing as Sandy, when she wanted to make sure that her mommy would keep her promise.

"Promise, promise." Sandy giggled as she heard her mother using her expression.

"Ok then! You double promised, so if you won't keep them then you will be seriously in trouble. Derek and I always keep our promises."

Sandy nodded and put her head down on Meredith's arm staring at her bump. She put her hand on it and started caressing gently. "Does it hurt, mommy?" She asked her without taking her eyes from the womb where her little brother or sister was growing.

"Hurt what, baby?" Meredith asked her playing with her hair.

"Your tummy when it gets big?" Sandy questioned looking up at her. "You have a bigger tummy now."

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other as Sandy said that and then Meredith looked down at her smiling. "It will get bigger than that."

"Bigger?" Sandy's eyes grew huge astonished.

"Bigger." Meredith confirmed.

Sandy pulled back and looked at her with curious eyes. "How much bigger?"

"Well… I am not very sure but I think that it will like something like this big." Meredith made a bigger circle around her tummy under Sandy's stunned face.

"Mommy, you will become very fat." Sandy stated.

"Sandy!!!" Derek snapped at her amused. "That was rude. Never call your mommy fat; do you hear me? … At least not while she is pregnant." He chuckled knowing how that would annoy Meredith.

Meredith was speechless at Sandy's statement, but at Derek's words, she gasped offended.

Derek chuckled at her with a wink. "Speaking of kindergarten…" Derek started. "Don't you think we should start thinking on hiring a nanny?" Derek put the question as he looked at Meredith from the corner of his eyes.

He could read the worry from Meredith's face, but he sighed relieved when he saw Meredith nodding at him.

"We won't have her around us all day and someone has to watch her while we are at work." Derek added. "Mom said to Sandy that she would be here in two weeks so…"

"Two weeks?" Meredith interrupted him confused. "I thought she would be here in three weeks."

"Yeah… that's what she said to Sandy." Derek stated pointing to Sandy and as Sandy confirmed with a nod, Derek continued. "Maybe she wants to surprise us… anyway, if she will be here, Sandy can stay home with her these weeks and the week when we are in honeymoon; but then Sandy will start the kindergarten and I don't think that mom will be able to stay longer."

"Mommy?" Sandy interfered curious. "Is up there on sky a honeymoon?"

Meredith and Derek started laughing as they heard Sandy's cute question.

"No baby; that is how is called the place where newly weds go after their wedding." Meredith explained.

"Why are they going there?" Now Sandy had started her series of questions that she needed to find their answers.

Meredith looked up at Derek puzzled.

"They go there to celebrate their wedding." Derek tried to explain. "It's like a second wedding."

Sandy didn't look as if she understood too much from that and because it seemed too complicated for her, she nodded understandingly. "Is it far this honeymoon?" She asked them.

"No, it's not far. We will go somewhere at beach." Derek answered.

"Beach?!" Sandy looked at them amazed. "Can I go too?"

Meredith glared Derek for saying that word beach in front of her, while Derek smiled back at her. "Children can't come in the honeymoon."

"Why?" Sandy asked him intrigued by his answer.

"Because that is the tradition. The parents go alone… if they take the children with them, then that would mean bad luck." Derek answered and smirked very proud of himself at Meredith.

"So the baby will come out until then?" Sandy put the question that surprised and amused her parents the most.

"No, the baby won't come out until then." Meredith replied between giggles.

"But it's bad luck." Sandy looked at her confused of the mixture of answers she was receiving.

"The baby it's not a baby yet, so… it's not child. It has to born first." Meredith tried another explication.

When he saw Sandy opening her mouth ready to put another question, Derek interfered fast. "We were talking about nannies not honeymoon, so let's get back to our main topic.

"Oh thank God!" Meredith sighed with relief smiling at him grateful.

"So do you agree that we will need help with the kids?" Derek asked Meredith.

"I agree and you are right… but the nanny has to be old." She stated very serious.

"Old she will be." Derek agreed at her frowned look.

"Not old!" Sandy protested.

"Why?" Meredith asked her.

"Because if she is old, she can't play with me." Sandy explained as she crossed her arms against the chest.

"She is right on this." Derek agreed with Sandy, but as soon as he saw Meredith's glare he changed his attitude. "But an old nanny knows more stories than a young one, besides she can teach many things. And she won't be that old either." Once again, he met Meredith's glare. "She has to be somewhere around her 50s." He stated hoping that that would please her more. It did please her and she smiled satisfied at him.

"Will she have gray hair just like grandma?" Sandy put up on her face a grimaced look as she asked that.

Derek and Meredith looked at her strangely.

"So what if she will have gray hair like your grandma?" Derek asked her a little offended by the disgust she was referring at his mother's gray hair. "Don't you like gray haired women?" He added harsher this time.

Sandy was having her back leaned against Meredith's side, so when Meredith heard Derek, she gave a nudge to make her pay attention to her. Sandy looked up at her curious and Meredith motioned her to say yes.

"I do like them." Sandy's answer came out casual as if that had been her answer she wanted to give too.

"Good then." Derek replied calmer and into a softer tone. "Now please go and change from your pajamas and get ready for breakfast." He demanded with a very serious attitude.

"Do I have to?" she asked him with a whined voice.

"Yes" Derek replied simple, turning his back on them to take the frying pan with eggs from stove.

Sandy looked at her mother for some help, but as she saw her mother shrugging indifferent from her shoulders, Sandy burst nervous. "Mommy is wearing her pajamas, why doesn't she have to change them too?"

They looked at Sandy very shocked at her burst. Derek chuckled amused after a few seconds and agreed with her. "You have to put streets clothed on you too."

"You are still wearing your pajamas, so why don't you go and change yourself too?" Meredith protested as childish as her daughter did earlier.

Derek came over to them and sat some plates on table. "I am busy preparing the breakfast, so you go and get ready. The breakfast is getting cold." Derek states as serious and firm as before.

Sandy seemed to be the most perceptive at Derek's statements, so she took her mother's hand, trying to drag her up from chair. "Let's go mommy! I am hungry."

Meredith groaned with annoyance as she stood up and glared Derek, who had started to chuckle at that scene.

Meredith sniffed as she turned around to leave with Sandy. "I liked you more before this entire Daddy Derek thing."

"I like Daddy Derek." Derek stated trying to hold back a laugh. He burst when he heard Sandy's comment as she and Meredith were walking out of kitchen. _"I like Daddy Derek, mommy!". _ He also could hear Meredith's giggle.

-----------------

Meredith was the first one who returned in kitchen, wearing a gray long sleeves top and a pair of jeans.

Derek had just settled the table and put the food in the middle of it, when he saw Meredith walking in. He put down the napkin and came over to her.

Meredith smiled as she saw him coming and welcomed him by hanging on his waist. She raised her body on tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his lips.

Derek took her entirely in his arms, keeping her body as pressed as possible against his.

"I still don't like Daddy Derek." She giggled as she pulled back from his arms and walked towards table to take a seat.

Derek joined her and sat down on the chair next to her. "At what hour do you have the appointment with Dr. Krebel?" He asked her.

"At 12:30." Meredith answered and put her napkin on her lap.

"It's perfect, because I don't have anything scheduled for that hour." Derek stated.

Meredith looked at him curious. "Do you want to come with us?" But as she asked that, she saw Derek's look and understood. "You do want to come."

"Meredith, we agreed that she is my daughter also now, so I have all the right to come to her doctor's appointments."

Meredith leaned to him and kissed softly his lips. "I am sorry for that!"

"Mommy?" Sandy made her appearance in kitchen, right in that moment. "Do I have to go to doctor?"

Meredith held out a hand for her to come and as Sandy took it, Meredith led her to the chair from her other side. Sandy climbed it up and looked at her mommy with a mixture of worry and sadness.

"We will make a short visit to a doctor today." Meredith stated bringing the plate in front of Sandy.

"But I am not sick." Sandy whined as plead.

"You are not sick, so there won't be any shots; we will just talk for a while." Meredith tried to clarify the purpose of their visit to that doctor.

"About what?" now Sandy wasn't any longer that scared, since her mother assured her that there wouldn't be any needles.

"About many things. Now eat because it's getting cold." Meredith stated and with that, she put an end to Sandy's questions.

It was one year ago when Derek had the breakfast with his best friend, Mark talking mostly about Mark's female experiences.

Now it was one year later when he was having the breakfast with his fiancé and their daughter laughing and joking about all kind of things. Despite all the small problems that showed up in their life so far, after only one year, they were like a normal family. The only things that were missing yet were Meredith and Sandy's last name to become Shepherd; that was just a small detail that was missing from their family life.

Because Derek was the one who had cooked the breakfast, now it was Meredith and Sandy's turn to clean the kitchen, while Derek showered and got ready for work.

It was one year ago when in the morning, Derek left to hospital with Mark and, at that time, Mark's one nightstand.

Now, a year later, Derek first settled Sandy in her car seat and then drove away with Meredith at his right and the little girl on the back seats, from where she was singing all wrong one of the "Clash" songs.

-----------------

Derek stopped in front of daycare's door and first he gave a look inside through its window to see what exactly Sandy was doing at that time. He could not see her, therefore he opened the door and walked inside. As he did that, Derek saw a group of 5 small children lied down on their stomach drawing something on a big paper.

A middle age, brunette and tall woman saw him and smiled.

"Dr. Shepherd" She came over to him and greeted him politely. "How are you?"

"Mrs. Sattler, Derek answered in the same polite manner as her. "I am good. I came to pick up Sandy."

"Yes, Dr. Grey told me today that one of you would come to take her for a while. I think she mentioned something about a doctor appointment?!" She asked unsure of herself. "Is there something wrong with her, because looks fine to me?"

"She is fine." Derek clarified her. "It's just a routine check." Derek stated simple, not wishing to give her too many reasons about the real purpose of their appointment.

As she heard a familiar voice, Sandy turned her head to back and smiled at him giving him a small wave with a hand; then, surprisingly, she looked back down on her paper. That was one of the rare times when Sandy didn't jump up on her feet and came running towards him as she usually did when Derek or Meredith was coming to see her at daycare.

"They just had the lunch and now I asked them to draw a big picture with different places from a park." Mrs. Sattler explained her attitude, knowing how uncommon for her that attitude was.

Derek smiled and nodded understandingly. "It's still early." He stated checking his watch. "I can wait for her to finish. I can't interrupt her favorite activity."

Mrs. Sattler started laughing. "She sure has talent on drawing and she is also very passionate about animals. She might become a veterinary or an artist." Her teacher stated.

"She might be." Derek chuckled. "But you should see how she painted the walls from her room." He laughed shaking his head.

"Oh yeah; she brags a lot about how she was allowed to paint by herself her new room." Mrs. Sattler stated.

"It's not something that she should brag with, because I really hope that she will hate it the next time will go see the house."

Mrs. Sattler laughed imagining how Sandy might had handled the brush and the paint on the big walls from her room.

One of the older kids called for Mrs.'s Sattler help, so she left Derek alone. He leaned against the wall near the door and watched how focused each kid was what it was doing for their draw.

From the small group, a little head raised and a smile crossed his face as he saw Derek there. The black little boy put his crayon and stood up with a giggle. "Derek" He shouted excited and started running towards him.

Derek kneeled at his level to receive him properly. "Hi Tuck!" He gave him a man hug, when the boy ended his run in Derek's arms. "How are you doing?"

The 5 years old boy stepped back a little, showing Derek his white teeth through a grin. "We are drawing a park on a big paper." He said trying to open as wide as possible his arms to show Derek the size of their art.

"I bet this is the largest draw you have ever drawn so far." Derek stated with a surprised look on his face, just to make Tucker feel very proud of what they were doing there.

The boy nodded firmly at his statement and opened the mouth to say something when a blonde little girl showed up behind him with a grin on his face. She pushed Tucker away from her face and hung on his neck.

"Hi Lucy!" Derek chuckled being caught off guard by the girl's sudden movement.

"Hi Derek!" She said back letting his neck go. "Come and draw with us!" Lucy took his hand and tried to make him follow her.

Derek stood up smiling and shook his head. "Not this time sweetie, because I don't have time."

Lucy let go to his hand disappointed. "Ok"

Derek noticed that Sandy was already up on her feet watching them from the spot where they were drawing. He motioned his head for her to come to him.

Sandy smiled and started running towards him. Derek picked her up in his arms and kissed her. "Why didn't you come to greet me?" He asked her as he hugged her.

Sandy arched his back so that she can face him. "I was drawing." She explained.

Derek put up a fake pouted face. "Is the drawing more exciting than to see your daddy?"

Sandy started the giggles as she shook her head.

"I feel more relieved now." Derek let out a sigh smiling. "It's time to go now."

"Ok" Sandy agreed and put her head down on his shoulder, while her arms and legs wrapped themselves around his neck and waist.

"We'll bring her later." Derek said to Mrs. Sattler and then he waved goodbye to the others.

"Are you tired?" Derek asked her when he saw how her body collapsed on him.

"No" Sandy raised her head and shook it at Derek.

"Then, do you want me to carry you on my shoulders?" Derek put the question raising suggestively an eyebrow at her.

Sandy nodded firmly and smiled wide at him.

Derek moved her easily from his arms to his shoulders and as her fists clenched his hair, Derek put both hands firmly on her legs to keep her still.

-----------------

When they got to Dr.'s Krebel office, Derek put Sandy down, took her hand and knocked on door.

The invitation to come in came right away, so Derek grabbed the knob and opened the door.

Meredith was already there, sitting on a chair with another woman, who seemed to be the same age as Meredith, when Derek and Sandy walked in.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Krebel!" Derek said politely as he closed the door and turned to walk inside.

"Good afternoon!" Sandy saluted her too as her parents taught her to do when they go to see someone; just that her tone was lower and much hesitant than her father's. She had received many assurances from her parents that nothing would happen to her there, but she was still nervous of being made to come into a doctor's office.

The doctor stood up from her desk and walked towards them to greet them. She first held out her hand smiling at Derek "Call me Marcy." Then she leaned down to Sandy. "You must be the little Sandy. I am Marcy." She said very kindly as she took Sandy's hand and shook it gently. "It's very nice to meet you!"

At first, Sandy looked up at her with fear, but once that she saw her friendly face and kindness, she felt more relaxed and smiled sincere. "It's nice to me you." She answered back as she knew better.

Marcy took Sandy's hand and together with Derek, she led her to her chair. "Would you like to spend a few minutes alone with me and talk?" She asked Sandy looking down at her.

Sandy stopped from her track and looked at her mother, then up at her father. "Without mommy and daddy?" She asked her with a scared voice.

"Without mommy and daddy, but I promise we will have just a few minutes of chatting." Marcy answered.

Sandy shook her head firmly and tightened the grip on Derek's hand.

"Ok then, we will talk with your mommy and daddy here." Marcy agreed smiling kindly at her.

Marcy took her seat from behind the desk, while Derek sat down on a chair beside Meredith and placed Sandy on his lap.

At first, Marcy asked Derek and Meredith about their new house and their upcoming wedding and baby. Then she asked Sandy to tell her more about how the new house looks like, about what she wishes for: a sister or a brother, about her friends, about her hobbies and a variety of things, everything just to make her feel comfortable with the talk.

Sandy showed very easily her communicative side with all the topics that Marcy brought into their talk, so that made everybody else more confident about what was about to come up next into their meeting.

"Now Meredith… I want you to tell me how close you were to Clara?" Marcy popped the question about Sandy's mother, after she had previously asked her about her family and the closest friends.

All three of them could see how Sandy changed her good mood once that she heard that name. She looked at them as if she was curious to see what was to come.

Because Sandy's reaction wasn't that frightening, Meredith found it easily to start talking about Clara.

"She was my best friend. We went to Med School together." Meredith stated.

"How was she like?

Meredith smiled and tried to keep her calm as she started to remember her friend. "She was… very friendly… and she was always smiling. She was very optimistic and through all her hard times, she kept that optimistic smile on her face. It was very rare when we saw her sad. I remember she was sad when her parents didn't agree with her marriage with James… but not even then she stayed sad for long, because James was there for her." Meredith paused for a moment and took a deep a breath so that she can hold back the tears. "She loved the flowers. She and James bought a house after they got married and she had made a small garden in one corner of the house… uh… she also loved the art galleries… especially to see paints about nature. Clara was pediatrician, so… she loved the kids very much. We went a few times in park together and she… once that she walked in there she was no longer a grown up… she loved to play with the kids and she often told me that she wants many kids." Meredith paused again to calm down her emotions. "At first she said she wants 3, but then she changed her mind and she said she wants 6."

"And James agreed with her?" Marcy asked her.

Meredith laughed a little as she remembered that. "Oh yeah… I am pretty sure that he was the one who convinced her to change her mind about the number of children they would have together… they both loved the children." Meredith stopped as she felt that she can't hold back the tears and motioned from her head to Marcy to stop with the questions.

Marcy nodded understandingly, while Derek rubbed Meredith's back as comfort.

In all this time, just Marcy followed Sandy's reaction at all the things that Meredith was saying about her birth mother. Sandy seemed as if she had listened to what she was saying and through whole Meredith's description, she looked sad down at her hands.

"How about you, Derek? Did you meet Clara?" Marcy asked Derek.

Derek shook his head with sadness and visibly touched by the description that Meredith had made to her former best friend. "No… unfortunately." He answered sadly.

Marcy knew that, but she didn't want to make the talk look like about Meredith and Sandy in particular.

"Do you know who Clara was?" Marcy asked Sandy into a final.

Sandy looked up at her when she felt that the question was being addressed to her. She answered a 'yes' with a nod from her head, hesitant and silently.

"How about James?" Marcy returned her questions to Meredith.

Meredith wiped discreetly a tear that was about to roll down from her eye and smiled as she started to remember him. "He was a wonderful man who loved Clara very much. They were good friends since high school, but only after Clara graduated the Med School they started a serious relationship. He was spending with her every free minute he was having and same as Clara, he was always showing a very good mood." Meredith let out a sigh before saying the last statement. "They were a perfect together."

Marcy understood then that Meredith was not in condition anymore to talk about them, and to avoid a burst that might disturb Sandy, she moved her questions towards Sandy.

"How about him, Sandy? Do you know who he was?" Marcy asked her.

Same as the previous time, Sandy had been listening with the same attitude Meredith's statement about her father. Now that Marcy asked her again about one of her birth parents, Sandy remained quiet for a little longer before answering again with nod from her head.

"Who were they, Sandy?" Marcy tried a more profound question, since at her last ones she had received optimistic signs of opening from Sandy. Just that this question, was the one that sent them from where they had started. Sandy leaned her body against Derek; as Derek wrapped his arms around her, she hided her face in one of his arms.

Because this time no answer seemed to come out from her, Marcy tried to find a way to make her comfortable with their talk again. "Sandy, please look at me!" She asked her with a very kind voice. Sandy refused to do it and her face remained buried in Derek's arm. "I thought we were friends already." Marcy stated and tried to make it sound as if she was disappointed.

At that, Sandy raised her head from Derek and looked up at Marcy.

Marcy smiled kindly at her as she leaned over the desk to be closer to Sandy. "You know you can say to us everything that disturbs you." Marcy said pointing to her and to Meredith and Derek. "We all want you to feel happy and free to talk to us about anything."

Sandy looked up at Derek.

"She is right, Sandy! You can tell us anything." Derek assured her; though that wasn't the reason she looked at him for.

"Can I go back?" She asked him in whisper and almost as a supplication.

"Sandy" Derek looked at her with a sympathetic smile. "Please let's try and talk more, ok?"

Sandy shook her head and in the same time, she started to push Derek's arms away from her. She fought struggling with them, because as Derek felt her trying to run, he tightened his arms around her.

"Let me go!" She yelled at him and slipping under his arms, she climbed down his lap and ran out of the office.

"I will go after her." Meredith stood up immediately and followed her outside.

As she walked out of the office, Meredith saw Sandy at the end of the hall looking confused around her, without knowing in which direction to go.

Meredith hurried her footsteps towards Sandy. She grabbed her shoulders right when Sandy was about to start walking again and made her turn around.

Meredith kneeled at her level and as she turned her face to her, she could see that Sandy was crying. She started to cry herself and after she wiped Sandy's cheeks, she pulled her in her arms.

"Why did you run away like that, sweetie?"

Sandy put both arms around Meredith's neck and gave her a strong hug. After that, she pulled back a little and looked at her mother. "I want to go back and finish my draw."

"Sandy" Meredith sighed with pain. "Why don't you want to talk about them? It is not a shame or a bad thing. They were your parents and they loved you so much."

"Please mommy, take me back to my friends!" Sandy pleaded with her crying voice and tears started to stream down from her eyes again.

Meredith shook from her head disappointed and kissed Sandy's forehead, before she stood up and took her hand.

Derek was heading towards the daycare, when he saw Meredith coming out from there. He sighed when he saw her looking so down and when he got to her, he took her in his arms.

Meredith had looked down in all this time and she hadn't seen Derek coming, but once that he put his arms around her, she knew it was Derek and collapsed sobbing.

"Shhh… calm down, Mer!" Derek started rubbing her back as comfort. "Please, calm down! She says we should give her more time and let her be the one who comes to speak with us about this."

"But why does she do this? Why does she shut herself down when she has to talk about them?" Meredith questioned between sobs.

Derek took her face in his hands and wiped it. Then he brought it upper to him and kissed her softly. "What would you say I will ask Kathleen to talk with Sandy? Sandy likes her and maybe she can get more out from her."

"Derek, but this means that we should tell her the whole truth about how she is not even my daughter."

"Meredith, legally and emotionally, she is your daughter and at one point we will have to tell them. None of them would be happy to find out that we hided something like this from them." Derek told her.

Meredith looked at him worried. "I think you are right."

Derek smiled and kissed her forehead. "Now let's not stay depressed the whole day, because later we are supposed to have fun in park."

Meredith nodded and wiped her tears. "Do you want to eat with me?"

Derek nodded as he took her hand and walked with her towards elevators.

-----------------

When he was about to go home, Derek had an emergent surgery, so he asked Meredith to pick up Sandy and go ahead.

Now he pulled the car in front of the building that in just one year, it became his home too. He got out of the car and as he shut the door and locked the car, he headed to entry. He stopped after only a few footsteps as a thought struck his mind. It was a sunny and warm evening, so he knew that there was no way for Meredith and Sandy to be still in house.

Derek turned around and changed the direction of his track, crossing the street and heading towards the park where he knew the girls must be.

He went first to the playground area, where he knew that Sandy likes to spend the time the most. Once he got there, Derek looked around him and tried to find Meredith and Sandy between the motion and the shouts of other children and their supervisors. Usually, he didn't have any trouble to recognize them from the rest of the crowd, but this time they were nowhere to be seen. He gave up and left that area, but he didn't give up at all knowing for sure that there was no way for them to be at home at that hour.

Not very far from swings and slides, it was a big green area where also the kids where playing. It was the same place where last year, Derek met Meredith and Sandy for the first time.

There they were. Derek smiled as he saw Sandy and her friend, Tucker chasing Mr. Bailey, while Meredith cheering for him to run faster so that they cannot catch him.

Derek chuckled when he heard Sandy yelling at her mother to shut up, annoyed by the fact that she was not on her and Tucker's side.

Derek leaned against on a tree and watched amused how Meredith became the chased person. Just that she didn't have to run too much, because she was the first one who noticed Derek's presence there and smiling at him, she pointed her finger towards him. "Why don't you go and say hi to Derek?" She told the kids.

Tucker and Sandy stopped and following the direction that Meredith's finger was pointing, they smiled as they saw Derek there and started running towards him.

Now because his presence had been revealed, Derek decided to join the group and hurrying his footsteps, he met the kids on the middle way.

Sandy was a little taller and faster than Tucker was, so she was the first one who reached to him and stopped as she hugged his legs. "Daddy."

"Hi baby" Derek greeted her and raveled her hair.

Tucker stopped only a few seconds after her, somewhere behind her and started grinning at Derek.

"Hi Tuck" He then saluted the boy.

Tucker held out his both arms so that Derek can pick him up.

Derek first gave both of them a kiss and just after that he picked them up; he carried them under his arms, causing them shouts of excitement and their hands to clench in his jacket and only when he got to Meredith and Mr. Bailey, he put them back down on their feet.

Because Derek was there now and because Meredith's actual condition didn't allow her to play with them as she used to do, the men became the children's main entertainment and Meredith found herself forced just to watch them.

They played at swings, at slides, they ran and they walked around the lake and fed the few ducks that where there at that hour, until … "Daddy, I am tired and hungry." Tucker came over to grown ups and cried at his father.

"It's time to go home anyway." His father stated.

"I bet that she hasn't eaten anything yet." Derek smiled at Meredith as he referred at Sandy.

"And to lose 30 very important minutes from play? You bet she hasn't." Meredith laughed.

"In this case why don't we go home, dress nice and go out to eat to our favorite restaurant?" Derek asked looking at Sandy in particularly.

Sandy looked at Tucker, who also looked at her after they heard Derek's suggestion, and then she shook her head grinning.

"You don't want to eat their strawberries pie?" Derek asked her confused.

"You go and bring me some." Sandy smiled monkish at him.

The adults looked at each other confused, until Tucker took his father's hand and dragged him down to him.

"What is it?" He asked him.

"Can Sandy come home with us?"

"If her parents allow her … sure then, but as you can see they have other plans." His father tried to explain to him, though, at that proposal, they all understood why the children looked at each other like that.

"Do you want to go and sleep over there?" Meredith asked Sandy. Sandy answered with a grin.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us at restaurant?" Derek asked her a little disappointed, and then he chuckled as he whispered to Meredith "I can't believe I am trying to convince her to come with us."

Meredith giggled as she remembered how they used to plead her to stay home and not come with them.

"I want to go with them." Sandy stated.

"I am not sure what to say Sandy… last time when you slept over there, it wasn't very…" Meredith started saying that, but Mr. Bailey interfered. "It was fine. Forget about that." He laughed and assured her that he didn't mind to take her with them.

"How about Miranda?" Meredith asked him.

"She is on call tonight, so don't worry about her." He assured her.

Meredith sighed and kneeling at Sandy's level, she brought her closer to her. "You can go, but you have to promise that you will behave yourself and you won't stick your nose in Mrs.'s Bailey personal things."

"I promise, mommy!"

"If I hear about any complains regarding you, then you missy will be in a very big trouble and besides my punishment, I will ask Mrs. Bailey to fine one more for you." Meredith warned her into a very serious tone.

"I promise, mommy!" Sandy promised very serious.

"Let's go home and take some clothes for you." Meredith stated as she stood up and took Sandy's hand.

"It's not necessary!" Mr. Bailey stated. "She still has some from the last sleep over."

Meredith looked down at Sandy, who was grinning at her waiting for her permission. Before giving her final permission, Meredith looked at Derek. Derek shrugged at her, so she kneeled again at Sandy and pulled her into a hug. "Have fun, then I will see you tomorrow!"

"We will bring her in the morning at daycare!" Mr. Bailey assured Meredith and Derek.

Meredith and Derek walked them to their car and after they made Sandy to promise again that she would behave nice, they told them goodbye and got inside the building.

-----------------

After they took off their jackets, they both laid down on couch exhausted.

"I didn't ask you… how was the surgery?" Meredith asked him and snuggled in his arms, hiding her face into his neck's curve.

"Bad" Derek muttered with a sigh. "She didn't make it."

"I am sorry!" Meredith raised her head a little to face him.

Derek looked at her, smiled and lifting her chin a little, he kissed her. "I am too tired to go out." He stated as he placed her head back on him.

"Me too."

"I will cook something for us, but first let's lie here for a while."

"Ok" Meredith agreed and wrapped an arm over his body.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, in complete silence and both looking as if they were sleeping.

"It's so quiet around here." Meredith muttered sleepy breaking the silence.

"It's weird isn't it?"

"Yeah." Meredith giggled. "But we can have all the sex we want." She looked up at him with a suggestive smile on her face.

"I like this plan better than mine." Derek chuckled and kissed her.

"I know" Meredith stood up from him smiling. "First let's eat and then we can do whatever we want to. I will go take a quick bath." She stated and stood up on her feet.

"I will go make the dinner." Derek answered with a nod, but did not make any gesture of standing up and start working on it.

-----------------

Meredith returned minutes later and expecting to find Derek in kitchen, she was taken by surprise when she stepped outside the bathroom and found the apartment in complete silence.

She went in living room and there she saw Derek sleeping on couch in the same position she had left him.

Meredith took a seat next to him and leaning over she started to nudge him. "Derek" She called his name in whisper. "Wake up, Derek!" Meredith nudged him harder and called his name louder.

Derek muttered something as he turned his face away from Meredith and made himself more comfortable on couch.

Meredith groaned with a sound that seemed more as a whine and nudged him again. "Derek, I am hungry."

"Mhm" Derek made a sound as agreement to what she had said and grabbed her arm to pull her down on him. "Lay down here with me." He muttered sleepy.

Meredith let herself dragged down and sighed resigned. She climbed over him and fell in front of him, so that she can be between him and couch's back. She snuggled in his arms and closed her eyes.

It was one year ago when Derek came for the first time in her apartment and cooked the dinner for her and Sandy and then he read the bedtime story for her daughter. He had left later that night saying goodbye and without knowing if they would ever see each other again.

Now, a year later, he was back in the apartment he had left that night; just that today, there was no need for a bedtime story, no energy for dinner, and he was sleeping with her in his arms.

**---------------------------**

**I was faster with this one ****:D ****and I already started the next one!****  
****I didn't have in plan this chapter, but I thought to write one about how things are looking for Derek, after just one year in Seattle. This was the day they first met in park and it takes place two days after Meredith's birthday and their first real date. ****  
****The part with Sandy and their visit to Dr. Krebel, might not fit very well with the title of this chapter, but it is part of his new life. More about Sandy's refuse to talk about her birth parents will come in the next chapter, which will be centered only on this. Anyway... the story will move forward after the next chapter with the wedding/ Sandy's birthday, the honeymoon, the baby's birth and maybe after that the last chapter. So I have 5 chapters left from this story (in case I won't come up with new ideas) ****  
I tried to make this one shorter, but I couldn't. :D**

**And no… my intention wasn't to make Sandy a spoiled child, but I don't think that she is spoiled in the bad way. She is just very smart and knows how to play her parents, although, Meredith and Derek started to learn more about how to be better parents.  
****Please review!**

21


	21. What an ugly baby!

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 21 – What an ugly baby!**

Their new house was finally done, painted and decorated. Per total, it had four bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, a large kitchen, a living room and a small office, serving more as library, downstairs.

If anyone would have asked them which part of the house is their favorite, then they all would have agreed that it was the back yard, with it lake in particularly. Of course, Sandy would have added her room too, which ended up painted in shades of purple.

It was two days before the wedding and two days before Sandy's fifth birthday, and the house was full with people and very animated by all the hustle almost the entire day.

Meredith opened her eyes slowly and met the dim light from her room. As she reached out an arm over Derek's bedside, she found he had left the bed and judging by its coldness, he had left it for some time. She flipped onto her back stretching her arms and legs under the huge white silk quilt; she smiled wide as she realized that she woke up again where she had just dreamed to wake up one day… in her dream house, to her dream life… to her own fairytale. Returning on her side, Meredith glanced over the clock from Derek's nightstand.

5:57 the red flashing numbers were indicating. It was still very early, since neither she nor Derek had to go to hospital that soon.

Grabbing one of Derek's pillows, Meredith dragged it and brought it in her arms. She snuggled against it and closed her eyes back with a content smile on her face.

She contemplated for a while over the turn that her life took almost three years ago. It was just like a fairytale… sad at first and then the happy-ending came. At least that is how that period from her life ended. She was smiling happy at its ending, but new dreams started to fill her mind about what was to come next; maybe a new fairytale.

She pushed Derek's pillow back on his bedside and she rolled over on her side to face the two big windows and the glass doors from their room's balcony. The sun had sent already a few rays over the town and Meredith could see its weak orange shine. She removed the quilt away from her, sending its entire length over the other side of the bed.

Her feet slipped in her puffy pink slippers, which Sandy had bought for her, and yawning and stretching her back, she walked towards balcony. She twisted the metal doorknob and opened the door as she made the first step outside on balcony.

From the first step she made outside, a gentle wave of chill wind brushed her face and made her rub her bare arms. She returned in bedroom just for a second to grab her white flannel jacket from a chair, and then she returned outside wrapping the jacket around her.

Leaning over the railing, she breathed in the chill air of May and her eyes enjoyed the view that the balcony's placement was offering. Their bedroom and Sandy's were both overlooking the lake. It was the perfect image to watch before starting another hard day of work.

Meredith giggled as she saw two men by the lake. It was not hard for her to recognize Derek and his father; both were looking as if they were laughing while they were sitting down on grass with the fish pools in their hands. Since his parents arrived in Seattle, in each sunny morning Derek was up early starting his day with his father at fishing.

She watched them smiling for a while until she heard the door from her bedroom opening and a sleepy voice called her name.

"Mommy?"

Meredith turned around and leaned against the doorframe looking at her daughter. Sandy was rubbing her eyes with intensity and her brown hair was all a mess in her head; her entire look was messy; from head to her crumpled pink pajama.

"I am on balcony" Meredith answered and held out a hand for her. "Come here."

Sandy walked to her and took the hand she had offered her. Meredith led her outside on balcony and sat her in front of her, so that she can see outside though the metal rails.

"What's with you up so early?"

Sandy leaned her head against Meredith's now big bump. "Mia kicked me out of bed and I fell." She said with a whining voice.

Meredith giggled as she started to brush her hair using her fingers. "See? I told you… you should move in the other room if you want to share the same bed. Your bed is too small for all three of you."

Sandy shrugged sleepy as she turned with a grumpy face towards her. "Pick me up" She asked her pleading and held both arms up to Meredith.

"Sweetie, you know I can't carry you now. You are such a big girl and with this bump I can't hold you in my arms."

Sandy had fixed Meredith's bump, since Meredith mentioned it. She smiled as she neat Meredith's white shirt around the bump and pressed her ear on it.

"The baby is sleeping now." She stated looking up at her mother.

"Yes, I think it's sleeping." Meredith smiled as she rubbed her tummy with one hand and Sandy's cheek with the other one.

Into a corner of balcony, was a sat a lounge chair and a small coffee table. It was just one chair, because Derek said they would not need more than one. Another reason for that was of course, the small space from balcony.

Meredith took Sandy's hand and led her to that chair. At first, Meredith sat down, laying her legs along it, then she gestured to Sandy to come and sit down next to her. Sandy didn't go to the place which her mother was patting for her to come, and she climbed up on her. She mounted her legs; when she was doing that, it was a sign that she wants to lay down on her mother for some cuddle; just that this time, as in many other days, Sandy found an obstacle… Meredith's big bump. She frowned disappointed as she held both hands on Meredith's tummy.

Meredith giggled when she saw her daughter's disappointment and took one of her hands. "Come and seat here next to me."

Sandy did as her mother told her and climbing down from her, she moved right away next to Meredith.

It wasn't their first morning on that balcony, so there was already a blanket from the previous mornings. Meredith took it and unfolding it, she spread it over them.

Sandy had snuggled in her mother's chest already and after Meredith covered them, she shivered a little, then the hand she was keeping on Meredith's chest, moved down to her bump.

"Mommy, I found a name." Sandy said as she looked up at her mother.

"You did already?" Meredith smiled as she tried to sound surprised and impressed, though she already knew that Sandy was looking already for the right name for baby, toys she would share with it and how to paint its room.

Sandy smiled with a grin and nodded. "Jessica." Of course, all her plans for baby were built around the hope that she would have a sister.

"Jessica?! Like our neighbor's name?"

Jessica was a few years younger than Meredith and she and her husband, both newly weds, had moved 1 minute away from their house in the same week with their moving. Because of Sandy's friendly character, Jessica and Jack became friends with them since the day one.

"I like Jessica." Sandy stated with a nod as answer to Meredith's surprise.

"Jessica is nice and I like the name, but what if the baby is a boy?"

Sandy shrugged a little disappointed. "Maybe Mark."

Meredith started laughing as she heard which name came in Sandy's mind first. "Mark?"

Sandy answered with a nod from her head. "Today we'll find out if it's a boy or a girl?" Sandy asked her.

"Today"

"How?"

Meredith smiled knowingly; she already knew where the question 'how' would lead. "We go to hospital and Izzie will check." Meredith hoped that this would be enough to answer to Sandy's question.

She just hoped, because she already knew that Sandy would not be satisfied with it. "How?" Sandy put the question that many times made Derek and Meredith think that from all the things you have to do to raise a child is to answer to 'how?' and 'why?'

"Ask Izzie when we'll get there." Meredith wasn't very proud of herself, but sometimes she chose to take the easiest way out.

"Isn't this heavy?" Sandy accepted Meredith's answer, so she moved forward with the next question.

"Not very heavy."

"I don't like how it looks like." Sandy looked up at her with grimace on her face. "I can't even hug you."

Meredith smiled kindly as she kissed her forehead. "This will go away in a few months; it has to look like this because the baby grows inside." Meredith informed her. "And you can still hug me."

Sandy shook her head; for her, a hug was if she was wrapping herself around Meredith, not when she hung just a little on her neck.

Meredith smiled with sympathy. "We can still cuddle each other."

"Mommy, will I have a big tummy too, when will have a baby?"

"Yes. Every pregnant woman has a big tummy while the baby is still inside."

"I like babies. I want to have many babies." Sandy stated as she put her head back down on Meredith.

Meredith smiled. That was one of the moments when Sandy was sounding a lot like Clara. "And you will have, sweetie."

Snuggling Sandy closer to her, Meredith put her head down on Sandy's head and shut her eyes, embracing the moment.

-------------------

Meredith woke up when she felt Sandy's warmth and weight leaving her side. As she opened her eyes, she saw Derek placing a sleepy Sandy on his shoulder smiling down at her. "Morning"

"Morning" She whispered.

"What are you two doing here at this hour?" Derek asked her amused.

"Sleeping?" Meredith laughed as she realized that they had fallen asleep. Then she held out a hand so that Derek can help her up.

Derek took her hand and slowly, he dragged her up.

"What time is it?" She asked him stretching her back.

"It's time for us to get ready for work and for this little one to get back in her bed." Derek said. "Why was she up so early?"

"Mia kicked her out of the bed."

"Oh" Derek smiled as if that wasn't a surprise.

They walked inside and Derek placed Sandy in the middle of the bed; he covered her with the quilt and then he gave her a kiss on forehead.

Meredith sat down next to her and with difficulty, she managed to bend down and kiss her. She stayed longer than it should have smiling down at the sleepy form from under covers as she slowly was brushing her forehead.

"Mer" Derek called her name in whisper to make her come back from the trance she had fallen into.

Meredith looked at him and smiled. She had an attempt to stand up, but immediately, Derek's help came up. He took her hand and easily he helped her stand up.

"Is everything alright?" He asked her in whisper as he made a few circles on her back.

Meredith nodded smiling as answer.

Derek smiled back and wrapping her hand on his arm, he motioned his head for her to follow him out.

"It's just that …" Meredith spoke up after a second and a step. She stopped and paused as she looked at Derek with some worry on her face.

Derek turned around at her and letting his arm go, her hand fell and he could rub gently her shoulder. "What is it?"

"I don't want anything to change … I don't want Sandy to change." Meredith walked over to door and stopped in the doorway looking back at Sandy.

Derek had followed her there, so at this point, he was holding her waist with his arm. He brushed the hair out of her cheek and kissed her. "Some things will change… Sandy will change too, because she grows up." He said tenderly, guessing which might was her worry.

"I don't want my feelings for her to change." Meredith stated looking into his eyes. Her eyes had been starting to form tears in them already since her hormones were playing with her emotions again.

"Come" Derek smiled and led her outside the bedroom. He shut the door slowly and leaned Meredith against it. "You won't love her less; you cannot love her less. I swear!"

"Are you sure? I mean … what if the idea of…" Derek covered her lips with his finger and smiled confident. "I swear it won't change. Trust me."

Meredith nodded and smiled a bit embarrassed by the situation she had put herself into once again with her crying. "I trust you."

"I know." Derek chuckled as he pressed a kiss on her lips. "She will love her little sibling." His hand was already on Meredith's bump as he said that.

"She wants to call the baby Jessica." Meredith giggled now more light up.

"It's not a bad name; we might let her add it!" Derek laughed. "And I guess that if it will be a boy she would want to call him Jack."

Meredith giggled and shook her head.

"No?" Derek asked her a bit surprised. Meredith shook her head again.

After a split second, a thought struck him. "Mark" He said almost laughing.

"Mark" Meredith laughed as she confirmed.

"Why does she like Mark? Sometimes I really can't understand you girls." Derek stated with jealousy.

Meredith cupped his face and leaned to him dropping a kiss on his lips. "Because he is Mark!" She stated as she pulled away. "I will go shower." She grabbed the doorknob to open it again, but Derek's hand stopped her from twisting it.

"Because he is Mark?!?" Derek looked at her confused unable to interpret her answer.

"I need to shower, Derek! I don't want to be late today." Meredith smiled satisfied at his jealousy and removed his hand from her arm.

Derek knew she was making fun him, so he gave up and shook his head smiling. "Do you want to eat anything in particularly?"

"No" Meredith smiled grateful. He always whiled to give her and Sandy whatever they wanted.

"Mark" Derek let out a groan as he shook his head and turned around to walk down on hall.

Meredith giggled watching him leaving and then she slowly opened the door and walked back inside the bedroom. Sandy was sleeping in the same position that Derek had left her as sign that she had been disturbed by their whispers and giggles.

-------------------

When she walked in kitchen, Meredith found Derek, his parents and his two sisters, Nancy and Kathleen sitting around the table.

Their heads titled towards her, when they felt her presence. "Good morning, Meredith!" echoed for two seconds in row and Derek was the one who stood up and pulled out the chair next to him.

"Morning" She saluted them back and took the seat that Derek had offered her.

"How is she?" He asked her as he stood up and went over the counter to bring her the breakfast. Derek didn't trust in Meredith to let her feed herself and Sandy, so now it was a regular, for girls to come down in kitchen, sit down on table and wait to be served.

"She is still sleeping. She didn't even move from the position you put her on." Meredith stated.

"She was kicked out of bed?" Kathleen asked them amused, guessing what must have happened.

"Yes" Meredith laughed. "She came whining in our room earlier and she fell asleep there."

"These girls." Nancy shook her head smiling at her plate with scrambles eggs.

In the meantime, Derek had brought the same thing to Meredith together with a bottle of yoghurt and set them in front of her.

"You are the one to talk?" Kathleen burst laughing with sarcasm at her sister. "I can't even imagine how many times you did that to me."

"Me?" Nancy leaned to back in defense. "I might have done it, but just because you were snoring so loud and I wasn't kicking you out. I was just hitting you."

Kathleen rolled her eyes annoyed, as she knew that she had overreacted by accusing her unfairly. "Liz was worse than you." She muttered without looking at her sister.

"OMG she was horrible. She wasn't worse than me… she was the worst person you could have slept with." Nancy stated with an exaggeration of her tonality.

"I still remember how I broke my wrist falling out of bed because of her." Kathleen joined her sister's flashback with the same intensity as hers to remember those times.

"Oh and when she pushed me out of mom and dad's bed and I fell hitting my head on their nightstand." Nancy came with another memory.

In all this time, Meredith and Derek, Helen and David were looking at them amused. It was as they were 5 years old again.

"Ok… enough you two." Helen clapped her hands to get their attention, in the same manner she used to do in those times. "All four of you girls had fussing sleep and despite all the kicks you received from each other, you continued to share your beds."

"Derek was the nicest baby comparing him with you." David stated as he smiled proud at his son, who had taken his seat back next to Meredith. That statement brought a complete silence on table and not some pleasant looks from his daughters. "He was crying only when he was hungry or wet or when he was having colic. He didn't need 45 minutes of rocking to fall asleep and then to hover around his crib to make sure that after 5 minutes he wouldn't start crying again." David continued with narration about baby Derek. "The position you were settling him in, it was the position you were finding him."

Meredith smiled during David's tell and as David finished, she looked at Derek and leaned to him and kissed him. "He didn't change at all."

"David, that wasn't nice of you!" Helen admonished him. "The girls weren't that bad."

"Yeah… thanks a lot dad." Nancy protested offended.

"Yeah … you and your precious boy." Kathleen protested together with her sister glaring Derek.

"You are jealous, huh?" Derek straightened his shirt on him as he smiled extremely proud at his sisters.

Nancy was the first one who opened the mouth to respond him, but Helen was faster and cut her off. "That wasn't nice of your father, but it was so true."

"Mom" Both women jumped when they saw their mother taking Derek's side.

Everyone else laughed at that scene, which annoyed Nancy and Kathleen even more.

"Stop acting childish you two and let's finish the breakfast!" During that morning, Helen was the only mother in there and once again, the mother made peace between her children… her grown-up children. "Derek was a good baby, but once he made his first steps, he became a little devil during the day and an angel during the night."

"Mom" Now it was Derek's turn to protest. "How can you call me a devil?"

Helen rolled eyes smiling. "Right now, at this hour, all three of you are having 5 years old. Seriously!"

Derek sniffed pouted when Meredith rubbed his back to soothe him. "Sandy is exactly like you." She stated with a giggle as she leaned to him and kissed his cheek.

Derek looked at her keeping his pouted face, but as Meredith gave him a pity smile, he smiled back wrapping his arm around her neck and brought her into him to kiss her properly. "Did you just call her a little devil?" He asked her as he pulled back from a kiss and showed her a faked offended look.

"As a baby she was just like your mom described you and now… she the description matches perfectly." Meredith got back on her seat smiling. "I hope the little one will be like baby Derek and baby Sandy only and then, after it starts walking, it will be like its mommy." Meredith giggled as she rubbed her tummy. Then she felt a little kick from inside. "Good morning to you too!" She giggled speaking with her tummy. "You have to promise me that you won't have the same behavior as your daddy and your sister."

Derek knew that the baby must have kicked, so he leaned on her chair and put his hand on her tummy. While Meredith asked the baby that, Derek could feel another kick. "Are you happy now?" He asked her laughing. "The baby promised."

"I am happy now!" Meredith stated with a smirk. Their eyes were sparkling and smiling at each other. They didn't even notice the silence that had fallen over the others.

Derek took her face into his hands and pulled her to kiss softly her lips. Then he let her go and when they both looked around them, they saw their family staring at them smiling. Meredith and Derek looked at each other and giggled as they realized they were in the center of their attention.

"You two look so happy and so excited about this baby, but none of you beats Sandy on that." Helen stated with a giggle. "She just can't keep her mind away from this and keeps talking about it."

"I know." Meredith laughed. "She already started to choose the clothes for it; the other day when we went shopping she begged me to buy some baby clothes."

"She even bought a teddy bear for it. She says it is her gift for it." Derek added with the same thrill in his voice and is Meredith's. "And she doesn't use it. She put it back in her closet to keep it for baby."

"And apparently she has some names for it too." Meredith continued, informing them. "Jessica or Mark."

"Mark" Nancy shook her head laughing. "All of the sudden, all the kids love Mark… and I can't see why."

"That is exactly what I am asking myself. Why?" Derek burst, obviously not very thrilled, especially after Meredith had told me that Sandy wanted to name his son after Mark.

"Are you jealous, Derek?" Kathleen laughed at his brother. "How cute!"

"Yeah." Meredith joined her at his teas and rubbed his back laughing.

"Not jealous." He muttered nervous.

"Jealous or not, we all have to admit that Mark changed a lot and he might become a great dad." Helen stated more serious than her children and her daughter-in-law.

"He did change a lot." David agreed with his wife.

"Enough with Mark." Kathleen suggested. "Letting Sandy to involve in baby's preparation and its birth is the best thing you could do. Like this, you won't have to be afraid that she will feel excluded and you can also be sure that no jealousy will interfere between them."

"Yeah, that is exactly what we are trying to do." Derek stated.

"I didn't have the chance to tell you, Meredith, but last night I spent some time with the girl drawing…" Kathleen stated. "And I even had a little talk with Sandy about her parents."

"You did?" Meredith looked at her surprised. "She said anything?"

"She did." Kathleen answered with a calming smile; while Meredith smiled wide at Derek, "We started talking about how we were as kids and what we liked to play with the most. Then I told them that I used to have the same color on hair as Sandy's just like her, except for the fact that mine was curly and… as I said that, I have to admit that I was taken off guard by Sandy's statement." Kathleen continued telling them how her small chat with Sandy went and judging by the excitement from her voice, everyone could tell that she had been very surprised by that indeed. "She stated, in a very casual manner, that her other mommy had chestnut hair, but her was shorter; then she added she likes to have long hair like her mommy and I guess she meant you, Meredith." She looked and pointed towards Meredith. "In my opinion, she is not avoiding the memory of her parents; she just tries to feel normal and part of her new family. My advice… as long as you show her that she is not different than you and you will keep showing her that she has a lot in common with you as she has with her other parents, then she will be more open about this."

"She does have this disturbing habit to bite her lower lip when she is nervous or when she did something wrong, just like Meredith." Was Derek's disapproving remark at something that he was trying to change on those two, being unable to understand why they liked to torture their lips in that way.

He was approving their habit, but he chuckled as he found it cute too. His chuckled stopped fast, when Derek saw Meredith staring at him offended and shooting him a glare.

Derek smiled rubbing her back. "It's charming" He looked at her with a soothing smile as he leaned to her and kissed her pouted lips.

"Then stop bugging us with that." Meredith pulled back turning her face from him as an offended child.

Derek found her gesture very cute and amusing and he was about to open his mouth and continued to tease, when Kathleen cut him off and continued with her professional conclusions about Sandy. "Like you said it yourself, Sandy has the same sleeping style as Derek, so try and bring this up to her and then tell her something like… how her mother liked to sleep in … pink night clothes, for example. You will see she will not frown at it anymore and maybe one day she will come to you with questions willing to find out more about them. Just don't pressure her, let her be the one who comes to you for more."

"So, taking her to cemetery is wrong?" Meredith had listened carefully at what Kathleen told them and she did find reasonable her explications.

"No, no. That is something that you should never stop doing. It's the best way to respect their memory."

"She is just… so cold and distant each time we go there."

"Maybe this year it will be different, because now she knows she has a real family. I say you should take her there at least once per year; make her feel it as something normal in her new life and don't force her to cry or say something about that. Maybe she says something and cries inside of her, but it's her way to feel comfortable; after all, a cemetery is not such a pleasant place. Her silence there is not disrespectful as long as you know that she thinks on them. She is just five years old anyway and all these might be confusing to her. You should get worried in about 10 years if nothing from these will change, until then keep showing her that she is a normal child with a normal family; this has to be your main concern for the next years."

Kathleen's advices did bring more peace in Meredith's heart. The thought that Sandy might forget her birth parents was something that Meredith refused to let happen. Everything that Kathleen had said seemed reasonable and Meredith could see her point. She just answered with a more confident nod at Kathleen's last speech.

"I could bring her today to hospital at your appointment." Kathleen suggested. "I could try and talk with her more."

"Yeah, that would be great, but… are you ok with it, Helen?" Meredith asked her. "I know you wanted to be there too so…"

Helen smiled and shook her head. "It's ok; I have to stay here and help the others. Apparently, no one can prepare an event without me." She bragged in such a non-Helen style.

"Of course no one can. You are priceless!" Her husband leaned to her kissing lovingly her cheek and filling the kitchen with some 'aww's from the younger ones.

-------------------

"Meredith, I can't understand… Derek is feeding very well, but you are still under the normal weight for this stage of pregnancy." Izzie stated confused and some worry, thinking that something might be wrong with Meredith. "Do you feel any weakness in your body? Are you sleepy?"

While Izzie was questioning herself more than she was asking Meredith, Meredith rolled over on the exam bed and letting her legs down, she managed to get in the sit up position. She rubbed her bump as she was panting because of the effort. "I am fine, Izzie!" She hadn't seemed to pay attention to Izzie's concerns, but she did and wanted to assure her that she was fine. "I am just pregnant and the hormones are crazy and you know… the crying consumes many calories."

Izzie rolled her eyes amused as she disposed her gloves to trash. "Maybe you should see a specialist about that."

Meredith gasped as she heard Izzie. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Izzie started laughing and shook her head. "You are not crazy, Meredith." At her statement Meredith nodded in approve. "But it's not normal to cry your eyes out each time someone says something nice to you or when Derek and Sandy tell you I love you."

"Do you think I like it? I feel extremely embarrassed each time I burst into cry, especially because I can't control and make it stop."

With a compassionate smile, Izzie rubbed her friend's back as comfort.

"Are you sure you can deal with both of us?" Meredith smiled up at her grateful.

"I can't leave you on some else's hands, so I have to deal with you."

"Is Alex still avoiding the baby topic?" Meredith asked her knowing how hard Izzie was trying to convince Alex to start a family together. When their relationship started, Izzie agreed with him to take it slow, but when her both friends announced their pregnancies, Izzie started to feel a little jealous wishing that she could bring their babies not very apart from each other.

Izzie's look darkened as she let out a sigh through a reluctantly nod.

"I am sorry, Izz!" It was now Meredith's turn to sooth her friend. She was more than her doctor and friend… she was her sister, together with Addison and Christina.

That was supposed to be a happy and exciting day for Meredith, so Izzie thought it would be better if they change the subject. "Christina is dating someone."

"Someone else than Burke?!?" Meredith almost laughed, suspecting the possibility that her friend was secretly sleeping with Burke once again.

"No, no" Izzie cut her off with a knowingly smirk.

"What do you know?" Meredith gasped when she noticed a new gossip.

"Burke has a new girlfriend. I don't know who she is. I don't think she works here, but I saw her visiting him very often at office and he started to have the lunch in there with her."

"So it's not Burke." It was Meredith's shocking conclusion. At that, Izzie nodded. "Then who is she sleeping with?"

"I don't know" Izzie shrugged. "Maybe she will bring him to your wedding."

"She has to tell us as…" But Meredith went quiet, when a familiar voice could be heard on hallway.

"_Hi Olivia! Hi Alice!" _Sandy's friendly and cheerful spirit was making her presence noticed on the hospital's halls.

"_Hey Sandy! How are you sweetie?"_ One of those two nurses asked her.

"_We are going to see the baby."_ Sandy almost yelled in excitement. _"Izzie will tell us if it's a baby girl or a baby boy."_

"_Let me guess… you want it to be a baby girl."_

Knowing her wish, Meredith and Izzie could see Sandy's image nodding her head excited as she added _"We will name her Jessica."_

"_Oh my, I like this name."_

"_My sister's name is Jessica_."

The two nurses knew how to make Sandy's giggles unstoppable.

"_Sandy, sweetie we have to find mommy now! You can chat later with your friends_." Her aunt Kathleen suggested. _"Do you know where we can find her?"_

"_She is right in that exam room with Dr. Stevens."_ One of the nurses directed her. _"We have to go back to work now! We will see you around, Sandy."_ The other one said their goodbye."

It was just a second of silence after Sandy's "Bye" and the door opened wide as the two of them showed up in its way.

"Mommy" Sandy giggled when she saw her mommy and ran towards her. Meredith popped down so that Sandy can reach to her. "Hey baby!" Meredith welcomed her with her arms wide open, but immediately she noticed Sandy's wet hair. "Why is your hair wet, Sandy?" Meredith put the question looking at Kathleen in particular.

Kathleen smiled a little embarrassed. "It's raining outside and she ran from me without umbrella."

Meredith looked down at Sandy accusingly and tried not to smile when she saw Sandy was biting her lower lip guilty. "What did I tell about this? Running away from the adult you are with? And why did you let yourself get wet? Do you want to be sick on your birthday and our wedding?"

Sandy looked at her guilty and sticking a finger into her mouth, she shook her head.

"I will give her a rag." Izzie laughed as she went over to the supply shelve to take a clean rag.

"Where is Derek?" Kathleen asked noticing Derek's absence.

"Where is daddy, mommy? He is not coming to see the baby?" Sandy asked too after her aunt made her noticing her daddy's absence.

"He is into a surgery, but he should be here in any second. Izzie gave me a routine check and now are waiting for everyone to be here so that she can do the ultrasound." Meredith told them and then, with Kathleen's help, she got up on bed again.

"My feet hurt, mommy!" Sandy whined asking to be taken up there with Meredith.

Kathleen picked her up and placed her on bed next to Meredith. When she found herself there, Sandy wrapped both arms around Meredith and rested her head on Meredith.

"I wonder why your feet hurt." Meredith stated amused. "Could it be because of the run?"

Sandy looked up at her grinning and nodded. She gave her mommy her best "I didn't do anything. I am innocent" look and Meredith caved. She squeezed her cheek gently as she leaned down and kissed her nose. "You are such a naughty girl. One day you won't trick me with your grin."

While Sandy put her head back down on Meredith, Izzie brought a rag and started to dry Sandy's hair. "Izzie" Sandy was caught by her presence in front of her. "Where is the baby?"

"What baby?" Izzie asked confused and looked at Meredith hoping that she might understand what Sandy was talking about.

"Mommy's baby." Sandy raised her voice a little, exasperated by Izzie's clueless.

"Watch your tone, Sandy!" Meredith did let her be rude with Izzie.

Sandy avoided her mother's glare, but she did feel guilty of that and got quiet staring at Izzie.

"The baby is still in mommy's tummy." Izzie answered.

"So how are we going to see it? Will you take it out?" Sandy's eyes almost grew in awe.

"No, sweetie." At her cute question everyone laughed. "We will use a machine to watch through mommy's skin." Izzie let her know about that procedure.

"Really?" Now Sandy was entirely fascinated by all the information she was receiving. "Will you see what mommy has eaten?"

That brought harder laughs from the three women.

"No baby; because what we eat goes in stomach and the stomach is behind the baby, so the first thing that the machine will see, will be the baby." Meredith answered.

Sandy huffed annoyed by Izzie's persistent movements through her hair and Izzie laughed as she realized she had over dried her hair. Sandy started to rearrange her hair with Meredith's help, both of them brushing it using their fingers.

The door opened again in a hurry as Derek bust in.

"Daddy" Sandy screamed excited as she saw her daddy there. She held out her arms to him calling him to go to her first.

It took him a second to realize what was going on there, but when he saw that they had waited for him, Derek sighed with relief and went to answer the girl's call. "Hey Sandy" Derek picked her up from bed taking her into his arms.

Immediately, sloppy kisses started to land on his entire face.

"Now I am jealous." Meredith jumped pretended hurt by the greeting that Sandy had made to Derek. Sandy stopped and looked back at her confused. "I didn't get all these kisses from you when you came here and I am the one who will give you a little sibling."

"Actually, I have a very important contribution on that." Derek stated smirking as he walked towards her. He leaned to her and kissed her forehead, and then he placed Sandy back down next to Meredith. "That wasn't nice of you, Sandy! You should share the kisses with both of us." Derek pretended serious as he said that to Sandy.

Meredith kicked him with her leg, knowing that he was making fun of her.

Sandy responded to Derek's advice and raised her face to Meredith putting up both lips so that Meredith can get her kisses.

Meredith laughed at her cute look and leaned down to get what was hers. Just that, this time Sandy wasn't in the mood to give more than two kisses on her mother's cheeks, so she soon gave up and started to look around her balancing her legs as she studied the surroundings.

In the meantime, Meredith laid down on bed and rolled her hospital gown to expose her big bump.

"Are you all ready?" Izzie asked them.

Sandy came back from her trance and as she looked down at her mother and saw her bump, she smiled and got on her knees to get closer to Meredith. She ran a hand over her tummy and then she bent down to it and pressed her lips against it. Sandy kept her lips there lot a little longer than a regular kiss and when she pulled back she did it fast and covering her mouth.

"What is wrong?" Derek asked her noticing her sudden change.

"The baby hit me." Sandy muttered through the palm that she was covering her mouth with it. "I think it broke me a tooth." She put up a hurt face at her mother.

"Let me see it!" Meredith laughed as she took Sandy's hand away from mouth. Sandy showed her teeth and Meredith shook her head smiling. "You still have them all."

"Ok you, come here so that we can avoid any other accident." Derek picked her up and took her in his arms, then he moved at Meredith's top to be beside her.

"What is that?" Sandy questioned pointing on the tube that Izzie had taken in her hand.

"This is a jelly that helps us see the baby." Izzie gave her an answer that made Sandy giggle hard.

"What's so funny?" Derek asked her.

"We have jelly home." Sandy continued with her giggle. She didn't have to say more, because the others already knew what she was thinking of.

"Sweetie, this jelly is different from the one we have home. This one is for medical exams and that one from home is for eating." As he said that, Derek moved Sandy from an arm to another. She was indeed getting a big girl.

"Oh ok" Sandy seemed to have understood what Derek explained her, so she got quiet and watched how Izzie spread the jelly on her mommy's tummy. She noticed how Meredith winced slightly when Izzie first poured it. "Does it hurt, mommy?" Sandy asked her a bit worried.

Meredith saw the frowns from Sandy's forehead and shook her head smiling. "No, but it's very cold."

Sandy let out a discreet sigh as if she had been holding her breath of worry.

"What's that?" She soon put the same question, this time pointing to the machine that Izzie was dragging closer to Meredith's bed.

"How I love this kind of questions." Kathleen started laughing as she shook from her head.

"Me too" Meredith replied with a laugh.

"Smart children put a lot of questions." Derek kissed Sandy's temple and glared Meredith and Kathleen. "That one is a machine that helps us see the baby. Do you see that monitor?" Derek pointed it to her and Sandy nodded. "On that screen we will see the baby."

"How?" Sandy asked confused trying to understand how that machine can show them the baby.

"I told you. We will see in on that screen." Derek answered back.

"No" Sandy raised her voice exasperated. "How will the machine show us the baby?"

"See? She is smart?" Derek smirked at the others.

"Let's he how smart you are and answer." His sister pinched his arm.

Sandy looked at him curious waiting for an answer. "Well…" Derek dragged his voice as he tried to find the best explication for a 5 years old child. "Through that jelly the machine sends some ultrasounds … like some vibrations that will scan the inside of your mommy's tummy and build up an image."

Sandy remained speechless and completely dumbfound.

"Derek, she is not that smart … yet and apparently you aren't either." Meredith made fun of him.

"Well, at least I tried. You don't even have the courage to try when she asks you something like this." Derek didn't get offended, already knowing how to pay it back to her.

Meredith opened the mouth to protest, but Izzie stopped her fast. "Ok, people we are here to see the baby not to give lessons of neonatology. Sandy, are you ready to see what is inside of mommy's tummy?" Izzie knew how to distract her curiosity.

"I do, I do!" Sandy giggled excited. "Can you make it be a baby girl?"

"That's not up to her, sweetie." Derek laughed.

"That's right! If it is baby boy, then you can blame it on your daddy." Kathleen whispered to Sandy's ear, but loud enough to make herself heard by Derek.

"Boys can be fun too." Derek snapped back at her very unhappy with the comments and teases he was receiving.

"Everybody, quiet now!" Laughing, Izzie cleared her throat and yelled at him. The silence fell over the room immediately and Izzie smiled satisfied. "We are about to hear the baby's hear beat."

Izzie found its heart easily and soon everybody could hear a loud heart beat. Sandy was thrilled to hear a heart beat that loud, without being very impressed that it was her brother/sister's heart.

"The heart sounds perfect; now let's see how it has developed so far." Izzie froze the image for a few times to measure segments from baby's body. "Everything looks great, so we can see what do we have here."

Izzie grinned as she looked back at Meredith and the other. She turned the monitor so that they can see it better.

"Is it? Really?" Meredith laughed when she saw its sex.

Same as Meredith, Derek chuckled thrilled and hugged Sandy tighter in his arms.

Kathleen wasn't a doctor and Sandy was too little to be able to read the image, so they were the only ones left clueless and curious.

"It's a baby girl, Sandy." Derek smirked happy at her.

Sandy's face was now covered by the huge smile that grew on it in the second that Derek said baby girl. Everybody expected to see her shouting, but instead, Sandy remained quiet and wrapped tight both arms around Derek's neck.

Derek knew from the shakes of her body, that she was giggling silently and laughed as he hugged her tighter. "Are you happy?"

Sandy lifted her head and grinned at him. "I am"

"Good. I am glad then." Derek kissed her cheek and then he bent down to Meredith and kissed her lips. He hovered for a while above her face, both just staring at each other with content smiles on their faces.

They broke the gaze only when Sandy started to tug Derek's scrub top to make him look at her. "What is it?"

Sandy leaned to his ear "I can't see the baby." She whispered.

"Let me take you closer then." Derek stated and made a step aside to move closer to the monitor.

"Derek" Meredith stopped him immediately and looked at him smiling. "She doesn't understand the image. She expects to see a real baby image."

"Oh" Derek laughed embarrassed.

"Look over here." Izzie said to Sandy as she touched the screen with her finger. "Here we have the baby's head… do you see this take looks like a ball?" Sandy nodded hesitant. "And here it's her body and her legs. We can't see the baby for real… not yet."

Sandy looked disappointed at that monitor and then she looked at Derek with sadness. "What an ugly baby!"

"Aww sweetie." Same as the others, Derek started laughing at Sandy's sad conclusion. "You will see how pretty she is when she will come out of there."

Sandy looked at him with distrust.

"I promise. As Izzie said, this is not a real picture. Look, next time we will come and ask Izzie to make us a 3D scan and then you will have a better image of your sister." Derek tried to convince her that her baby sister is not ugly.

"Ok" Sandy smiled a little as Derek did manage to convince her of that.

"I will print an image." Izzie stated as she looked at Meredith and handed her some napkins to clean her tummy.

Meredith cleaned it and then with Derek's help she stood up.

"Mommy, mommy" Sandy called her fast.

"What?"

"Can Izzie put some jelly on my tummy and see if I have a baby inside?" Sandy asked her patting her tummy.

"No way." Derek turned around immediately "You don't have a baby in there, I can assure you of that and you won't have any very soon either." He stated a little harsher than it was supposed to sound like.

"Derek" Meredith snapped at his tone.

Derek understood he had over reacted and as he looked back in his arms at Sandy, he saw how sad and scared his burst made her. "I am sorry, Sandy!" Derek brought her head so that he can kiss her. "I didn't mean to scare you, but you can't have a baby now, because you are too little."

Sandy sighed disappointed. To save the situation, Meredith proposed to go and have lunch together and talk more about wedding and Sandy's birthday party. She changed back into her scrubs and they were about to walk out, when Addison came in.

"So? What is it?" She asked them excited.

"A baby girl, Addie!" Sandy, who was still in Derek's arms, held out her arms so that she can go to Addison.

Derek put her down and stated "She can't pick you up now." Sandy sighed very unhappy with the fact that after her mommy, now Addison couldn't take her up in arms either.

Addison took her hand and pulled her to her. "Congratulations! In this case, we will have a pair."

"So yours it's a boy?" Meredith asked her smiling.

"A boy." Addison stated with a huge smile on her face, while she continued to rub Sandy's back.

"My sister's name is Jessica." Sandy grinned up at Addison.

"We haven't decided that yet." Derek stated, but Sandy ignored him and continued to grin up at Addison. "Can I name your baby?"

"Sure" Addison was thrilled to hear Sandy's proposal.

At that, everyone else giggled already knowing Sandy's choice.

"Mark"

Addison started laughing too "Do you want to name Mark's boy, Mark?"

"Yes" Sandy answered very proud and confident.

"Don't you like other name? It will be weird to call both of them, Mark."

"Baby Mark" Sandy came with the solution fast.

"Aww how cute!" Addison kneeled down at her level and kissed her cheek before bringing her into a hug. "But still, try something else."

Sandy pulled away from hug and started to think "Derek" She smiled at Addison.

Addison looked up at Derek smiling. "It's not such a bad idea. We will see."

"Now seriously, why does everyone love Mark that much? He doesn't even like children." Derek protested, though Sandy was having his name as favorites also.

"Derek, please don't start again!" Meredith put her forehead on his shoulder exasperated by Derek's problem. "She chose your name also."

"Yeah, but I am supposed to be her only favorite man." Derek pouted and wrapped an arm around her.

"Grow up, Derek and let's go and eat something." Meredith patted his back and they all walked out from the exam room.

-------------

_**This was an extra chapter, because I realized I should let you know about the baby's sex. I like the way it came out and I hope you enjoyed it too. :D**_

_**The next chapter will be the day before the wedding/birthday party and as usual, Meredith will take Sandy at her parents' grave. That one should be a very short one, so it is very possible to be up in a day or two.**_

_**I will try to end this story before Christmas, because I might leave the town for Holidays.**_

_**Comments are very welcomed and encouraging. Thank you,**_

_**Dana**_

18


	22. I am a big girl now

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 22- I am a big girl now**

Meredith smoothed her dress along her chest and her bump as she stood up in front of the mirror. It was very simple navy dress, long enough to cover her knees and comfortable enough for her movements as pregnant woman.

She walked over to the make-up table and taking a seat, she let out a sigh as she checked her image. She looked fresh and rest; just a worrying line crossed her smooth skin. All she had left to do before going out was to put on her make-up. When Meredith was saying she needed to put on the make-up, everyone knew how long it would take her… less than a minute. Usually, it didn't take her longer than that to apply some mascara, because the mascara was her only make-up.

Meredith closed the product and placed it back down on table. In that moment, Derek bust in hurried.

"Give me a second." He said fast hurrying inside the closet.

Meredith had been taken by surprise, so it took her a while to understand what Derek meant when he said that. She stood up and walked to closet. "Derek, what's going on?" she was about to walk in the small area that the constructor had built for them as closet, when Derek came out running into her. Meredith instantly noticed he had changed his shirt with a navy one, a similar tone with her dress. "Where are you going? I thought you have off from work."

"I do" Derek stated in the same hurry, flashing a smile to her as he walked to her make-up table and looked down in it fixing his hair.

"What are you doing?" Meredith asked him even more confused.

"I had to change my shirt. Kathleen said we should not wear black clothes when we go to cemetery with Sandy. She says it could be depressing for her."

"Are you coming with us?" Meredith hadn't talked with him about something like that, so now she was surprised by his intentions.

Derek let out a sigh as he shook his head. He looked back at Meredith and she could his disappointed look. She then understood that she was locking him out again from involving entirely in her and Sandy's life. "You want to come with us." She said with a slight smile on her face. She was not disappointed by his intention; she was disappointed by her own negligence.

Derek came over to her and he looked into her eyes as he lifted her chin to him. He knew how Meredith was doing her best to get used with her new life, so he was always there for her to show her his patience and love. "It's just a matter of time until Sandy will officially become my daughter; her past and her present are mine too."

"I am sorry!" She mumbled avoiding a direct eyes contact with him. She was, once again, ashamed of her attitude towards Derek.

"We are her family now, Mer." Derek stated as he pulled her tenderly in his arms. "She needs to know we are always here for her."

"I know." Meredith embraced the warmth of the man she loved as she tightened her hands' grip behind him.

"I am ready. Are you ready?" Derek broke the hug when he pulled away still holding her hands in his.

"I am, but I am not sure about Sandy." Meredith said and smiled more confident at Derek. He always knew how to make the things look easier, though they weren't that easy.

"Let's check then." Derek led her out from their room holding her hand.

Once they walked out, they saw Kathleen coming out from Sandy's room. She looked desperate at them when she saw them. "I am sorry! I tried, but…" She sighed and walked towards them. "Just find a way to convince her. She didn't let me dress her."

"She refuses to go." Meredith stated with disappointment.

"Just make it look like… a regular visit to a friend. Don't make her believe is a big deal." Kathleen came with an advice.

Meredith knew already it wouldn't be easy to convince Sandy to go with her, but now she was even more depressed to see that Sandy couldn't be convince not even by Kathleen.

"I am here." Derek leaned to her ear and stated simply as encouragement. He was there now, so things should be easier.

Meredith smile grateful at him and after a nod, she walked reluctantly in Sandy's room, followed closely by Derek.

The girl was playing with her already best friends, Mia and Carrie, all three of them being gathered on floor around a puzzle game.

Meredith felt lost when she walked inside, so her feet stopped dead in the doorway. Derek was right behind her squeezing her shoulders to sustain her. She left her head fall on back on him watching what a great time her daughter was having.

They stood there like that for a while, but when Derek saw that Meredith was not showing any intention to do something, he passed by her and walked towards girls. He smiled back at Meredith as he stopped near them and then he kneeled down. "Is that a forest?" He asked them looking curious.

"Yes" Carrie was the first one who answered fast and the others two followed her answer with a nod.

"I can see that you are almost done with this one." Derek sounded impressed and once again, the girls approved him with pride.

"But we can't finish this tree." Sandy whined as she rubbed her forehead with frustration.

"Do you want me to help you?"

Sandy shook her head firmly, not even looking at him. Of course, she did not want his help; that was her game, her challenge.

"Do you think you can finish it in 5 minutes?" Derek asked the girls. He knew she would refuse his help as well as he knew that it was a challenge for them, especially for Sandy.

Because it was a challenge, the girls gestured a 'yes' from their heads and their attention focused even more over the puzzle. "Good then! Show me what you can do!" Derek stated; he definitely knew how to motivate them. He stood up, but delayed his leaving. "Sandy, after you finish here, come in our room because I want to ask you something."

Sandy's head rose from their group and looked at him curious. "What?"

"I will tell you then. Now hurry up and finish here." As he said that and received Sandy's confirmation, Derek smiled at her and walked back to Meredith.

He gestured her to walk out with him, so they both left the room. "We can't interrupt their play." Derek whispered as he led her down the hall, back to their room.

5 minutes later, Sandy walked in her parents' bedroom. From the doorway, she saw Meredith lying on bed with her eyes closed and Derek reading something beside her.

Derek immediately noticed the girl's presence. "Hey sweetie! Are you done with that puzzle already?"

At Derek's words, Meredith opened her eyes and straightened up looking at Sandy.

"I did." Sandy answered proud and hurried to get to their bed.

Meredith was sitting on the bedside with the door, so when Sandy stopped, she stopped there and climbed up the bed. She got between them and sat down.

"Who found the solution?" Meredith asked her and Sandy let out a disappointed sigh. "Carrie"

"Aww that's ok sweetie. I am sure you will solve it next time." Meredith pulled her to her as she put an arm around her.

"Yeah" Sandy put her head down on Meredith's tummy and closed her eyes.

"We should go now, Sandy. It's getting late and tomorrow is a big day for us." Meredith stated as she smoothed Sandy's hair.

Sandy took her head away from Meredith and looked up at her with sad eyes. "Do I have to go too?"

Meredith smiled slightly at her as she nodded.

"Go without me." Her voice and her face were pleading her mother. "I want to stay home and play."

A while ago, in a situation like this, Meredith would have snapped at her, dragged her to her room and dressed her by force. Now the things were different and Kathleen was right; Sandy should not feel forced to go there.

"Come here." Meredith took Sandy's hand and led her on her lap. Sandy mounted her legs and sustained herself on Meredith's bump, while she was staring down at it with sadness. "Sandy" Meredith lifted her chin gently. "Clara was my best friend and I miss her. I want to go there and bring her some flowers, and I want you to come with me. I want you to come with me and let me show her how big and beautiful Sandy grew up. I am sure that this will make her and James very happy. It will make me very happy, so please do it for me, ok?"

Sandy looked sad and stood quiet.

"I want to come too." Derek stated. That surprised Sandy and made her look back at him curious. "I never was there and I want to show them how grateful I am for bringing you into his world. I am sure that they want to meet your new family."

Sandy looked back and forward at them for a few times before climbing down from Meredith's legs and from bed. She got on the bedside and looked at both of them. "Ok" She whispered. She was not very happy with it, but they did convince her to go and show to birth parents her new family.

"Go and find a pretty dress to put on, ok?"

Sandy looked at Meredith and nodded.

**-------------------------**

It was a gray day and the clouds were sending down small raindrops.

Derek parked the car in front of a place that from behind the metal gates looked more like a park.

The entire ride until there was silent. Derek attempted a few talks about the girls' dresses and about some other things related to the events from the next day. His attempts failed almost right away; just Meredith made an effort to answer him, while Sandy stood quiet all the way and kept playing with the hemline from her blue dress.

"We are here." Derek broke the silence as the engine went dead.

"Yeah" That brought Meredith back from her most recent trance and looked outside on window. On her lap were sat two flower bouquets made of white lilies, Clara's favorite flowers. She looked back at Derek when he put his warm hand on her cold one and she understood that they had to get out of the car.

Derek unfastened his seatbelt and it took him less than two seconds to be at Meredith's door opening it for her. He took the flowers from her and then he helped her out.

It needed a few seconds for her to catch up her breath after the effort she made and after the anxiety she was carrying with her. Meredith took the flowers from Derek to free his hands so that he can help Sandy out.

Sandy had not moved not even after she saw them out of the car. She looked at them when Derek opened her door and got inside to release her from the seatbelt. "Let's go sweetie!" Derek pulled himself back out from car and held Sandy's hand on his way. Sandy jumped out and looked at them. Her face was expressionless as she asked, "How long we will stay here?"

"Just a minute." Derek replied with a convincing wink.

"We have to get back home and get ready for tomorrow, but we should do this first." Meredith found a way to make her feel calmer and smiled as she took her hand. "Come."

Sandy walked inside the cemetery holding their hands. After a few steps, she started to look curious around her. It was such a quiet and though it looked like a park, it was so different from one.

It was not raining that hard, so neither of them took the umbrella from car. Only Sandy was having her head covered with her jacket's hood.

Meredith walked ahead a little to lead their way to the grave where Clara and James were resting. After they passed by a few alleys, Meredith gestured to the left and they entered on one of those alleys.

Meredith slowed her footsteps as they were getting closer to her friends' grave. Derek already guessed where they were going to stop as all the way he followed Meredith's vision line. He knew he guessed it right when they stopped in front of a white marble stone. Its height a little smaller than Sandy's height and the first thing that caught Derek's attention it were the words inscribed on it:

_Clara Louise and James Andrew Thompson,_

_Beloved children, parents and friends_

_Your memory shall ever live with us._

_2002-2004_

Meredith and Addison were the ones who had prepared the funeral and picked up the stone. Wishing to respect everybody, they decided to mention Clara and James as children also, although none of their parents had come to hospital and identify their bodies after the tragic car accident. Because of that, they had been taken by surprise when during the funeral from cemetery the parents and James' older sister showed up and joined the group.

They cried along with their children's friends, but at the end of it, after their coffins had been descent into the same tomb, they left. No words had been spoken and no question had been put about how their 2 years old granddaughter was feeling after she lost her both parents.

Sandy had just small bruises after that accident, but she stayed in hospital longer than it would have been necessary. Addison was the one who called their parents and gave them the tragic news. They would have never thought that nobody would show up and at least visit their granddaughter.

After 5 days of hospitalization, Meredith decided to take her to her apartment. Since the moment she recovered her consciousness, Sandy started to ask for her mommy and daddy and kept crying as she saw that they were not showing up. Christina was the one who stayed around Sandy in that time and in the funeral's day, because she was the only one who was capable to be calm around the child.

The same memory was returning in Meredith's head, each time she was coming to their grave and each time it was filling her heart and eyes with tears. She took Sandy's hand from Derek and holding them both, she brought her in front of her. It was a natural gesture, which Derek understood and respected; they were there to show them their daughter.

Meredith was crying, Sandy was staring in blank at that stone and Derek tried to hold back his tears as he started to feel their loss and to remember everything that Meredith had told him about them.

Meredith kneeled down beside Sandy and placed the flowers on lap as she held an arm around Sandy. When Sandy felt Meredith's closure, she leaned her tiny body against hers and hung on her neck. "Don't cry, ok?" It was more a demand than a request coming from Sandy's sadness. Probably that was one of the reasons that Sandy didn't want to talk or go with her when it Meredith mentioned about her parents. Sandy was getting sadder than ever when Meredith was crying.

Meredith looked at her and smiled. "I'll try not to." But tears were already streaming out of her eyes wetting her cheeks.

Sandy used a hand to wipe her both cheeks and she kissed her. She buried her face in Meredith's hair waiting for them to finish there and go back home.

Derek heard and saw Sandy's reaction and he did understand why it was that difficult for Sandy to be around them when they were talking about Clara and James. He also knew how bad Sandy was feeling each time Meredith was sad.

"One more year has gone since our last visit…" Meredith almost muttered as she tried to hide the shaken from her voice. "… and it was a full year; many things happened to us… good things. Right, Sandy?" Meredith looked over at Sandy as she asked her that and as response, Sandy nodded from her head without breaking the contact that her face had made with Meredith's neck. Meredith smiled as she tightened the arm around Sandy's small waist and then she smiled up at Derek. It was a sad smile, but her teary eyes were smiling grateful at Derek. He smiled back understanding; she had referred at him as the good things that happened to her and Sandy in the past year.

"We moved from my apartment and now we live in Sandy's dream house. Derek just loves to spoil her." Meredith giggled as she looked back up at Derek. At that statement, Derek kneeled next to her also, so he was holding now an arm around both of them. "He even made from his trailer a play house for her." Meredith continued. "Yesterday we found out that Sandy is going to have a baby sister and a baby cousin from Addie."

"We have some problems with the names she picked up for them, but she is doing great as future-to-be sister and cousin." Derek chuckled trying to light up a little Meredith's spirit. He did it and Meredith laughed at him.

"Daddy" Even Sandy found it amusing and giggled from her mother's neck curve. Now that was something that made Meredith forget about tears.

Meredith took Sandy's head in her hands and kissed her forehead. Then, she put it back on, knowing that her neck was the place where Sandy wanted to stay.

"She even has a boyfriend now." Meredith giggled as she looked back at the gravestone.

"But you don't have to worry about this, because I will watch that guy." Derek continued Meredith's report.

Meredith laughed and looked at him. "You can be sure that he will." She leaned to him and kissed him softly. Sandy was between them, and because their kiss required a closer contact, she tossed in Meredith's arm to make herself more room in there.

Meredith and Derek smiled at that and pulled back. Meredith resumed her talk, while Derek watched both of them.

"We came one day earlier this, because tomorrow it's a big day for us. Sandy turns 5, and Derek and I get married, so tomorrow is going to be a long and hectic day. We are both in love with our wedding dresses; Sandy and the other flower girls are going to wear tiaras. They are going to look like princesses tomorrow. Sandy is such a big girl and so beautiful… I wish… I wish you could be here with us for this day." As the last statement left from her mouth, Meredith felt overwhelmed again and burst into cry. She put her other arm around Sandy and brought her into her arms; now she was the one who buried her face in Sandy's neck and sobbed.

"Don't cry!" Sandy pleaded her silently started to smooth gently her hair. "Please, mommy! Don't cry!"

Meredith pulled back from their hug and taking her head back in her hands, she looked straight in Sandy's eyes. "Don't get upset, ok?" She managed to bring a smile on her face, between sobs. "I am not crying because I am sad. I am crying because I miss my friends. Your mommy and daddy were my best friends and sometimes I miss them. It is ok to cry when you miss someone. Wouldn't you cry too if Lucy or Tucker will leave one day?"

Sandy looked at as if she was about to burst in tears too and nodded.

Meredith brought her back close to her and kissed her cheek. "Do you want to put the flowers?"

Sandy nodded and took the bouquet from her mother. Then she turned around slowly towards her parents' grave and put the flowers down on the wet grass.

Derek followed her gesture and joined his bouquet to Sandy's one. He stood up and then he helped Meredith.

Meredith needed his warmth and his comfort, so she wrapped both arms around him, while Derek did the exact same thing. After a strong hug, he pulled back and looked at her with his warm and loving smile. "Everything will be ok." He assured her as his thumbs wiped her cheeks.

"I know." Meredith smiled brighter this time and the tears stopped.

"I think we should go now." Derek stated.

"Yeah… we should." Meredith smiled and taking his hand, they turned around to leave. Just that as they did that, they noticed that something was missing. They both looked back at grave and saw Sandy staring down at it.

Meredith looked questioning at Derek, but Derek smiled and gestured from his head to give Sandy more time.

Sandy stayed there for a while, motionless and mute, just staring down at the gravestone.

"I am a big girl now." She muttered silently.

None of them knew for sure what she had said, but they smiled at each other. Whatever she had said, to them sounded like a good thing, judging by the gentle tone she used. It was a big thing anyway, considering that it was for the first time when Meredith heard her saying something to her death parents.

After the girl said that, she turned around to her parents.

"Are you ready to?" Meredith asked her smiling proudly.

Sandy answered with the same proud smile and a nod from her hand.

"Let's go then!" Meredith offered her hand and Sandy hurried to take hers and Derek's.

"Can I try on the dress again?" Sandy asked Meredith with excitement in her voice as they walked back to their car.

"You can, but just once."

"And tomorrow will I have a make-up?"

They stopped beside the car and Meredith smiled at Derek. "You can, but only if you use your cosmetics." And she opened the door for her to get in car.

Derek placed her on her seat and after he shut the door, he and Meredith got to their seats too.

Derek drove away leaving behind them the cemetery and moved on with their life… with their new family life.

---------------------

**I am not sure why, but the last chapter wasn't that great received. Was it bad? Because I really thought it was a good one. Or maybe was too depressed after that horrible scene with that absolutely disgusting… eww…I can't even say it.**

**Anyway, this one was a short update and I ended it with Sandy's parents. In her own way, Sandy knows who they are and thinks about them. More about this subject you will have in the sequel for this fic.**

**The Big Day I will split it in two chapters: one with the ceremony and one with a moment from Sandy's birthday. I am not sure when the next one will be up, because I updated twice this week and I left behind my other fics.**

**Please review!**

9


	23. From this day forward

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 23 – From this day forward**

She heard hustle on hallway around her bedroom. That hustle had just made her start the day bad and grouch. She sighed along with a silent grown and opened her eyes slowly. They were doing that on purpose. She had asked them in the previous night, not to come and wake her up, because she would do it on her own. She knew they were doing it on purpose because they also tried the door and found it locked.

Her girl was sleeping peacefully curled very close to her, keeping her face buried in her mother's chest.

With a slow move, Meredith lifted Sandy's head a little and took out her arm from under her head. She could feel it numb already considering that Sandy had slept like that almost the entire night.

Meredith almost forgot about the hustle from outside when Sandy started to giggle in her sleep. It was her birthday and she knew it. Every year her birthday was the most important day from her calendar. Not even the Christmas with Santa's gifts was making her so excited, although the amount of gifts was the same with both occasions.

Meredith glanced over Sandy's head at the alarm clock from nightstand. Its flashing lights were indicating 7:14. The ceremony was scheduled 12 o'clock, so she still could afford some time in bed with her daughter.

Derek together with his father and brothers-in-law slept over her old apartment after their bachelor party.

Girls' party had been just a reunion in the back yard with a grill by the pool. They chatted, laughed, drank –alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages and they watched how the children flood the area around the pool.

Her hand had started to run through Sandy's hair, brushing it gently from routs to tip. In the previous evening, a hairdresser came over to cut Meredith's hair a little and Meredith convinced Sandy to let her do the exact same thing. Sandy was hard to convince, but after she heard that her pretty tiara would look better on a shorter hair, she agreed gladly. Now her hair was ending again at her shoulders' level.

Meredith felt bad to wake her up, so she gave her more minutes to end up her dream. She slowly slid out of bed with all the care not to disturb Sandy.

She pulled the quilt upper on Sandy and let her sleep. The curtains were already open, so the sun was lightening and warming her room. Meredith opened the door from balcony to let the morning fresh air inside. She walked outside and stopped as she leaned over the railings to watch the sunny view of their land.

In the back yard and around the swimming pool was a big commotion. Encouraged by the weather forecast and the sunny days they had lately, they decided to have the party outside on their land.

Large tables for 10 had been spread all over, each with purple tablecloth and a flower decoration: red roses, lilac and lilies.

Meredith watched the whole view with extreme emotions on her face. She inhaled and exhaled deeply as she tried to release some of her nervousness.

She stirred when she felt a pair of small arms hugging her back. "Sandy" Meredith turned around and saw a sleepy Sandy grinning up at her. "Did I wake you up when I left the bed?"

Sandy nodded. "It's my birthday, mommy!" She wasn't upset at all with the fact that Meredith woke her up too early. Probably it wasn't even Meredith's fault; she always woke up early for her birthday or Christmas.

"I know sweetie." Meredith kneeled in front of her and pulled her into a hug. "Happy birthday sweetie!"

"I am 5 now, right?"

"You are right! You are 5 and you are big girl now." Meredith kissed her cheek lovingly. She pulled her back a little to have a better look over her. Her entire look was sleepy, but her smiling eyes were the most awake. "Let me show you something!" Meredith stood up and picked her up in arms. As she did that, she leaned a little over the balcony, to show Sandy the view from outside. "Do you like how it looks like?"

"Yes." Sandy's eyes grew huge with excitement when she saw how beautiful their backyard was looking like. "It's so pretty, mommy!" She squealed.

When Meredith felt her leaning too much over the balcony, she decided to put her down. "We are going to have a great party today and tons of fun."

"Mommy, let's see how tall I am now." Sandy took Meredith's hand and led her inside. It was her time to be measured by the doorframe as in each morning on her birthday.

Before they reached to door, Sandy stopped and looked up at Meredith with confusion. "There aren't signs in my room." She said referring at the sign, which Meredith did in the last years on her old bedroom's doorframe.

"Well, today we'll start a new life, so we will make the first sign on your bedroom's doorframe and we will continue to do it every year. Tomorrow you can go with grandma to our old apartment and make another one there to see how much you grew up in one year." Meredith suggested.

"Ok, but mommy, why didn't daddy sleep with us last night?" Sandy asked her confused. It wasn't his first night missing from home, but she knew that he was off from work just as Meredith and she didn't understand the marital ritual.

"Because your grandma and your aunts are a little crazy, that's why!" Meredith and Derek didn't want to respect the not-seeing-each-other-before-the-weeding ritual since both of them believed it was a silly thing, but they were forced to do it when Derek's mother and sisters and Meredith's friends found out.

They had made just two steps outside on hall, when Nancy and Addison saw them. Meredith took a defending position, holding Sandy beside her. "Don't get any closer." She warned them as she held out her hand to them. "Today it's not just my wedding, it's also Sandy's birthday, so give us some time."

Sandy didn't understand too much from what her mother was saying, but being too happy she ran from Meredith straight to Addison. "Addie, it's my birthday again!"

Before she kneeled down to receive Sandy in her arms, Addison shot a smirk to Meredith. "I know baby! Happy birthday!"

"Thank you, Addie!" She replied politely. "Now I am 5." She counted the fingers from one hand and showed them to Addison. "And then I will be six." She said adding the thumb from her other hand.

"You are growing up so fast. Soon you will have to assist at your wedding also." Addison complimented her.

"Happy birthday, Sandy!" Nancy knew already how much Sandy loved Addison, so she let them finish.

"Thank you, aunt Nancy!" Sandy grinned and raised her forehead up to her to receive a kiss on forehead. Then she took Addison's hand and made her stand up and walk to Meredith. "Mommy, when I am going to get married?" She asked her as she led the two friends towards her room.

"No very soon, sweetie!"

"But can I marry Lucas?" Sandy asked her referring at her boyfriend from kindergarten.

"You will marry with the man you will love the most." Meredith answered.

Sandy smiled brightly at her and gave her a straight answer. "Then I will marry daddy!"

"Ok. We'll have to wait and see that!" Meredith laughed at Sandy's firm statement.

"How long do I have to wait?" Sandy asked curious.

"At least 13 years." Meredith came with the answer.

Sandy was now smart enough to understand the length of time. She wasn't sure how much 13 meant, but she knew it was a long time. Sandy sighed disappointed and asked her mother: "Why?"

"Because it is illegal to marry so young."

"What's that illegal?" Sandy asked her jumping up and down on their way to her room.

"Illegal means that you did something wrong, against the law, so the police officer will come and arrest you and put you in jail." Meredith explained.

"Where the bad people are going?"

"That's right!"

"Then I don't want to get married soon." Sandy stated and stopped to wait for her mommy.

Meredith laughed as she pulled her closer to her and led her inside her room.

**----------------------**

Derek was in Meredith's old room laid on bed and rememorizing all the moments they lived together in that apartment, when his cell phone rang. He took it from his nightstand and looking at ID recognized Kathleen's number. "Hi Kate!" He answered as he flipped open the phone.

"_Hi daddy!"_ Instead of his sister's voice, Sandy's cheerful voice could be heard.  
"Sandy?" Derek smiled pleasantly surprised to hear voice. He didn't think he would have the chance to wish her Happy Birthday until they would get to church. "Happy birthday, Sandy!"

"_I miss you daddy!"_

"Aww, I miss you too, but we'll see each other very soon and then I am going to give you your present."

"_What present?"_ Sandy asked him excited.

"You will find out at wedding." Derek chuckled at girl's excitement. "Now tell me how are and how is mommy doing?"

"Addie helped me with the dress; it's so pretty, daddy!!! Addie says I look like a princess."

"Of course you look like one, because you already are one. I thought you knew that."

At his compliment, Derek could hear Sandy's giggle. Rarely, she was saying thank you for a compliment like that and she was always playing shy. "Now tell how's mommy?"

"_Mommy is nervous because she says she doesn't have enough air to breathe."_ Sandy answered. _"So I told them to leave her alone, but then they sent me with Addie and they locked the door."_

Derek laughed imagining through what stress Meredith must have been going through with his mother and his sister, plus the maids of honor. "Don't worry, Sandy! They will bring her out soon!" As he said that, Derek heard a sigh coming from Sandy. "What's wrong?"

"_Why didn't you stay with us last night?"_ From her voice, he could tell she was disappointed. Meredith tried to explain her that it was a custom, but she also told her that it was a silly thing. Therefore, Sandy could not understand why they had to do that if it was just a silly thing. "Mommy says because grandma and my aunts are crazy!"

"That's true… kind of!" Derek chuckled. That was a typical answer coming from a moody pregnant Meredith. "It says is bad luck for the bride and the bridegroom to see each other before the wedding."

"Says who?" Sandy asked him confused.

"The tradition, but hey… we already talked about this. We have just a few hours left until we'll see each other."

"_I miss you, daddy!"_ This time she said with sadness in her voice, which thing made Derek to sadden. "I miss you too, sweetie!"

All three of them became addicted to each other, so it was a real sadness, when one of them wasn't home at Sandy's bedtime or when Derek had to go to different medical conferences for a day or two. In the previous night, he told Sandy her bedtime story through phone before he said good night to Meredith.

"How is Jessie?" Derek asked her about her sister knowingly. He knew that would cheer her up and make her forget about her wistfulness.

"_She was sleeping, but I think that the noises woke her up." _Sandy was always checking her mother's tummy to see what her sister was doing. Ever since they found out baby's sex and chose a name for it, Sandy talked more to her showing her excitement to meet her.

"Well, I am sure that mommy has good care of her. Did they arrange everything in the backyard?" That was a pointless question because he knew very well that his family and Meredith's friends would take care of that, but he didn't want to end up his talk with Sandy.

"_Yes; everything is so pretty here! I will have the best party!"_ Sandy's excitement sounded more as a brag. Unfortunately for Derek, he heard Addison's voice calling for Sandy. _"I have to go! Addie will fix my tiara."_

"Ok baby!" Derek sighed disappointed. "I will see you soon!"

"_Bye daddy! I love you!"_ and immediately she hung up, without giving any chance to Derek to reply.

Derek closed the cell phone and stared at him with a wide smile on his face. His thoughts flew back to their house imaging what hustle must be over there. In Meredith's apartment, on the other hand, it was quiet; his brothers-in-law, his dad and Mark were there talking in living room, but still it was too quiet for him.

Without any warning, the door flew open and David and Mark showed up in the doorway. "You didn't even shower Derek! It's time to get ready!" David said as he walked inside. "You don't want to get there after the bride, so stop dreaming! Live your dream, don't dream it!" He grabbed him by his arm, when he saw him motionless.

"Don't tell me you change your mind!" Mark chuckled.

"I didn't change my mind!" Derek almost yelled at him as he jerked his arm from David's grip. "I just had a short chat with my daughter, which in case you forgot turns 5 today and she misses me."

"Stop whining, Derek!" David groaned. "You know how the women are!"

"Yeah; it wasn't easy for me either!" Mark stated in the same whining tone as Derek. "I could need some sex last night, but Addison had to sleep over your place. I swear that if I will ever get married, this separate the couple thing won't happen to me."

Derek listened to him smiling knowingly. He patted his shoulder as he passed by him. "Not if you are going to get married, because you will… one day and about having sex with your fiancé before the wedding day… keep dreaming."

"Hey" Mark jumped offended. "I am not a coward like you! I won't let some crazy women to scare me."

"Sure" Derek chuckled as he walked out of his room. "I will go shower."

Derek showered, shaved his beard and got dressed into his black tuxedo.

"Your hands are shaking." David stated as he saw with what shaky hands Derek was buttoning his white shirt. "Nervous, huh?"

"Yeah" Derek laughed nervously. "I don't think I have ever been this nervous until today."

"You will get used with this feeling if you and Meredith will have more children. This is nothing comparing with the waiting from delivery room." David chuckled. He sat down on a chair beside the mirror where Derek was fixing his clothes. In Mer's old bedroom, it was just the two of them.

"I know; I imagine that feeling, that's why I don't understand why I am being so nervous right now! It's just a ceremony and Meredith and I already have a family." Derek tried to find an explication for his nervousness.

"It just the idea of being married and give your name to other persons." Being more experienced, David could understand Derek in that moment.

Derek took the tie from David and tried to knot it around his neck. He had two attempts, but into a final, he gave up frustrated throwing the tie on floor. "For God's sake, I am surgeon and I can't even knot this damn thing."

David smiled as he picked it up and stood up to help him. "You hands are getting numb, isn't it?"

"Yeah" Derek smiled a little embarrassed.

"I will help you!" David made the knot for Derek and then, Derek took the jacket and put it on.

"I am done!" He stated as he gave one last look in mirror.

"Good, then we should go! Did you take your vows with you to repeat them?" David asked him looking around him to see if they forgot anything.

"No" Derek looked strangely at him. "I didn't even write the vows." He stated naturally as if that was something unimportant.

With a shocked move from his head, David looked at him stunned. "You didn't write your vows?" He asked him silently. He was too shocked even to yell at Derek.

"No. I have them in my head. I don't need to write something. I know what I feel for Meredith." Derek answered calm.

"Derek" David burst nervous. "How could you do that? It took you 5 minutes to button your shirt and you weren't even capable to make a knot to your tie. How do you think you are going to remember what to say?"

"Dad, calm down!" Derek raised his voice to make himself heard by David. "You are not helping me with this panicked attitude."

"Derek, trust me! Once you will get there you won't be able to think straight at anything; not even at your feelings for Meredith."

"Dad, I am very nervous, but I am nervous because I can't wait to see Meredith and Sandy. When I will see them, I can assure you that I will be much better." With that last statement, Derek walked out of the room. Outside, he ran into Mark and his brothers-in-law, who had heard the shouts from his room.

"What's going on?" Mark asked them. As answer, Derek remained quiet and walked towards living room.

"He didn't write his vows." David answered as he walked out also.

"What?" It was the same reaction as David's was.

"Man, even I know that this is not a good thing." Mark joked.

"You are in such a big shit, Derek" Kevin smiled at him with pity.

"Let's try writing something now!" David suggested very worried about his son's negligence. "Can any of you do it?" He asked them. "Scott, your vows were very touching. You try!" David urged his son in law.

"I don't think so!" Scott shook his head. "It took me more than three week to write those. I can't do it in an hour."

"Dad, calm down!" Derek snapped at him. His father's panic had started to piss him off. "I told you I will be fine!"

"You know what? I will take care of this." David stated more calm this time as if something had come in his mind. "Let's go now!"

David was the last one who left the apartment and on his way out, he took out his cell phone. He flipped it open and dialed a name.

"_Yes, David! Is everything alright over there?" _Helen's voice answered.

"No, Helen; is not! Derek didn't write his vows."

"_What? Omg I am going to kill him!"_ Helen sounded as nervous as David did when he found out. _"Why didn't he do it?"_

"He says he doesn't have to, because he knows what to say to Meredith!"

"_Yeah sure! Could you help him with that?"_ Helen asked.

"No; I was hoping that maybe you can."

"_Ok, we'll take care of it! Did you leave to church?"_ She asked him.

"I am on my way to car."

"_Ok then; we'll leave soon! Call me if he does anything stupid!"_

"I will! Bye!"

"_Bye David!"_

-------------------------

A black limousine was the last car that pulled in front of the church. Derek had rented one especially for that day.

The driver stepped outside and opened door; he helped each of the ladies to get out; the first ones where the girls, Sandy, Carrie and Mia, then it was Addison, then Izzie, Christina and the last one was Meredith.

By the church steps, Helen and Nancy waited for them. They helped the girls rearranged their dresses, while Meredith and the maids of honor did it by themselves.

The girls were indeed princesses in their identical dresses. They were all thrilled with their fancy look and continued smiling ever since the grown-ups dressed them. Uncommonly for them, they stood almost motionless, carefully moving not to stain or mess up their look. Addison was the one who chose the model and Meredith the color; the white dresses had as features a full tulle skirt with lilac embroidery, sleeveless satin bodice with a lilac waistband and self-flower.

Meredith could not take her eyes away from her daughter all the way to church. Though all the three girls were looking precious, for Meredith, Sandy was the most charming. A few strands of hair from her forehead and temples had been winded to back, clearing her face. The tiara had been sat on her hair as a hair band, and small white and purple diamonds were glistering in contrast with her brown hair.

As for the bridesmaids, their dresses were almost identical. Izzie and Christina had a lilac strapless gown with an asymmetrical overskirt that was gathering to a side and it was accentuating by an elegant rhinestone brooch. Addison's was in the same lilac color and satin material, a strapless gown that was falling in an A-line to cover her big bump.

As wedding dress, Meredith chose a not such a big dress. It was a satin strapless gown with sheer yoke, beaded and sequined re-embroidered lace appliqués and empire waist. She didn't want a veil, so her hairstyle was simple; curled and let fall free over her bare shoulders.

After she made sure that her dress was still fitting pretty on her tiny body, Sandy smiled brightly at Meredith and took her hand. "You look so pretty, mommy!" Sandy loved her dress, but Meredith's was her favorite.

"And you look like a princess sweetie!" Meredith pinched slightly her cheek.

"I am nervous, mommy!" In Sandy's smile, Meredith could see some fear also.

"Why? You don't have any reason to be nervous."

"What if I will trip and fall? Then everyone will laugh at me." Now Sandy showed her concern.

"Aww sweetie!" Meredith smiled with amusement at her. She leaned down a little and kissed her forehead. "You won't trip and fall. It's not such a long way until aisle."

"Ok" Sandy wasn't calmer after Meredith's encouragement. She continued to hold her hand with one hand a small bouquet of flowers in the other one, while she looked around her.

"Now that we are all here, I will go tell Derek." Helen told them as she climbed up the stairs to go inside the church together with Nancy.

"We'll walk inside too in a minute." Addison told her. "Are we all ready?" She asked her friends and the girls.

Everybody nodded except for Meredith. "Not quite ready." She stated smiling at them. "I won't be able to focus on ceremony if Christina won't tell me why she kissed George before we left to church?" And as she put that question, Meredith gave a suggestive smirk to Christina.

Meredith was in a very good mood. She was just a little nervous because of the wedding, but there weren't as Derek's was.

"She did what?" Addison smiled shocked at them.

"You did what?" Izzie laughed at her.

Christina smiled visibly embarrassed at them. "Uh… can we people focus here? We have to get to a wedding."

"Christina" Meredith didn't seem to want to let her go with that so easy.

"I can't believe that you are in the mood for gossips instead of going inside and get married." Christina tried as much as possible to avoid a talk about that and to act indifferent, but a discreet smile formed between her lips betrayed her.

"Omg, so it's true!" Addison laughed understanding the truth.

"How could you not tell her something like that? When did you start falling for George O'Mailey?" Meredith asked her mostly in a reproaching tone.

Luckily for Christina, Sandy was impatiently waiting to get to that aisle, so she shook Meredith's arm. "Mommy, when are we going inside?"

Christina took Sandy's wrist immediately. "Right now."

"You will have to tell us everything about this after we finish here." Meredith warned her smiling and followed them inside.

From the moment she walked inside the antechamber, Meredith started feeling goose bumps inside her stomach. Suddenly, she wasn't that calm anymore. Izzie checked her hair and make-up.

"Alright! Everything looks fine and we are all ready." Izzie stated.

Addison aligned the girls in row, with Sandy on top of it, Carrie behind her and Mia the last one being the tallest.

"Wait!" Meredith stopped them when Izzie was about to open the door. "I am not ready!" She stated. Meredith could feel the panic taking the control over her whole body. Her voice was shaky, her hands and legs were numb.

"What's wrong, Mer?" Christina asked her and walked over to her when she saw her panicked look.

Meredith looked at them and after a sigh, her eyes started tearing.

"Oh, please! Not now, Mer!" Addison groaned annoyed when she saw the tears forming in Meredith's eyes. "You didn't even get to aisle."

But Meredith didn't not seem to listen her and let the tears come out of her eyes.

"Meredith" Christina understood that there might be something more serious than emotions.

"I am alone." Meredith cried and sobs started hitting her throat.

"Mer" Izzie came over to her with worry. "We are here."

"I am … alone" Meredith repeated, this time between sobs. "I have no … family. No dad to walk me down the aisle." She thought she was over the family abandon, but apparently, she wasn't. For the first time in the last years, Meredith felt the need to have a family figure with her, someone to be there with her in one of the biggest days of her life.

Izzie gave her a hug and wiped her wet cheeks. "Shh, calm down, Mer!" She soothed her rubbing gently her back.

Addison and Christina also joined her and tried to show her their support. These were the only persons that knew how Meredith made through life all alone, without her mother's support and the absence of her father.

"Mommy?" Meredith's tears could not pass without an effect over Sandy. She ran to her and making herself room through Mer's friends, she hugged her mommy's waist. The others pulled away to let Meredith be with Sandy.

Through tears, Meredith kneeled at Sandy's level and she could see her eyes were filling with tears also. She managed to smile sincerely at Sandy as she cupped her face. She kissed her nose and then she pulled her to her chest hugging her tightly. After all, they were both orphan children and all they had was each other… and Derek.

"Don't be sad, mommy!" Sandy begged her silently. "Don't marry daddy if you don't want to!" It was obvious that Sandy didn't really understood the reason for her mother's tears and sadness.

Meredith brought her head back to face her. Holding her face into her hands, Meredith looked in her eyes. "Of course I want to marry daddy!" She sobbed and used a hand to wipe her own cheeks. "One day, your daddy will be there for you when you will be a bride and he will walk you … down the aisle." Her last statement brought more tears into her eyes and an uncontrollable sobbing.

Izzie kneeled down and pulled Sandy away from Meredith. "Mer; you are not alone anymore! Now you have this beautiful girl, a wonderful man and soon you will have one more baby."

"I… know" Meredith sobbed as she nodded. "It's just… so sad… and painful." She paused as she took the kleenex that Christina had handed her and blew her nose in it. "To go there… alone." She continued.

"Mer, I will ask Mark to come and walk you down the aisle." Addison suggested.

"No" Meredith shook her head. "He is Derek's best man! He can't walk the bride to aisle."

"Or I could ask Alex! He is not the best man and you two… are friends now" Izzie also tried to help.

"Or we could ask any other man from here." Christina stated.

"Why don't we ask the driver to walk me down the aisle?" Meredith snapped at them nervous. "It's pathetic to be walked by a strange man. That man was supposed to be an important figure in your life." Meredith continued to cry. "Alex is not that important, but… he is ok."

-------------------------

In the meantime, inside the church Derek was waiting impatiently for Meredith to walk in. He could not take his eyes away from those two doors expecting Meredith to show up in any second.

When Helen returned in church, she told Derek that Meredith would be there in just a minute. That minute seemed like a long hour for Derek and as that minute turned in two minutes and then in three minutes, the time seemed like forever to Derek. The music was playing in background, but all that Derek could hear and feel were his worries.

He looked questioning at his mother, but Helen was as clueless as he was. When he felt he could not hold it anymore, Derek walked down from aisle. "I need to see what's going on." He said to his mother as he passed by her.

"Derek, stay here!" Helen grabbed his arm and stopped him. "I will go!"

"No, mom! I am coming with you!" He pushed her hands away from him. "Something might be wrong."

"Derek, maybe she is just nervous or something is wrong with the dress! Stay here and I will go check." Helen looked at David and gestured to come over and take care of Derek.

Derek returned at aisle with his father without taking his eyes from his mother. He followed her until she reached to door and as she opened it, he saw her running into Izzie. Helen and Izzie had a short quiet talk and then he saw Izzie calling Alex to her. Alex went out with Izzie, while Helen returned to him.

"She is fine!" Helen didn't give him time to say anything. "Alex will walk her down the aisle."

"But why? Is she feeling sick?" Derek asked her worried.

"I think she has another nervous breakdown! She will be fine Derek and she will be here very soon."

Outside…

Alex agreed to walk Meredith down the aisle and Meredith finally calmed down. Addison redid her make-up and tried to hide any sign of tears from Meredith's face.

They were about to open the door when Meredith stopped them… again and made them panic. "Wait"

Just that this time, Meredith was calm and she didn't show any sign of a new breakdown.

"You don't need to this." Meredith smiled at Alex and let his arm go.

"Mer, but there is no problem. I want to do this." Alex answered.

"I know and I appreciate, but… I don't feel like I need to be walked down the aisle." Meredith stated brightly.

"What?" Everyone was stunned with her statement.

"I know…" Meredith giggled when she saw her friends' reaction. "Is just that I came to a conclusion… I walked alone through life until now, so I will do it for the last time. I walk myself to Derek. I didn't need anyone to do it for me before and I surely don't need now."

"You could have come to this conclusion sooner. You are too slow, Meredith!" Addison groaned in exasperation.

Meredith giggled as she prepared herself to go inside.

Alex opened the doors for them and Sandy was the first one who walked inside. She did it with hesitant footsteps at first, but then when she saw her daddy down the aisle, she became more confident and waved discreetly at him. After the flower girls, Izzie was the first bridesmaid that walked inside, followed by Christina and then by Addison. Two seconds after Addison, Meredith made her first step inside the church and everyone from there stood up.

Meredith took a deep breath before she continued the walk and looked around her. The church was filled with Derek's relatives, sisters, brothers-in-law, cousins, uncles and aunts; they had been placed together with the non-family members, such as dr. Weber, the chief and other few doctors, friends with Meredith and Derek.

From the moment her eyes caught Derek, she smiled and didn't let his sight go until she reached to him. She walked slowly beside him and put her hand in his. From that moment, none of them was longer nervous and any fear and sadness faded away. All they could feel was happiness and love.

Derek kissed her cheek and whispered to her ear. "Don't cry right away!"

Meredith giggled and shook her head. Then their attention moved over the priest, who started the ceremony. He read them paragraphs from Bible and talked to audience about family values.

With Derek next to her, with her closest friends around her and with Sandy watching them from her seat and another baby girl kicked slightly in her tummy, Meredith listened to the priest's words and she could not feel more blessed than this.

"Derek, would you like to go first with the vows?" The priest asked him.

Derek took a deep breath and tried not to let the emotions overwhelm him again. "I do" He smiled at Meredith as he turned towards her. He took her right hand in his and smiled as he stared into his eyes. "Before I went in that park, before I had that walk in that sunny afternoon, before my life was joined with yours, I was incomplete. You made me see in what dark I was living before. I had forgotten what joy was, what love and family was. Now that our lives are joined, I am full in love, in laughter and in light. You and Sandy give me each day more than I can wish for and without you two I would get lost again. You are my guiding star and I want you to shine for me until the end of my days. You are my everything and all I give all have to you, that you may have all you want and need. I love you, Meredith." During his entire speech, Derek said all the words naturally, with love. Indeed, he didn't have to write it down, because he was carrying them inside his heart.

If during the ceremony, Meredith had listened with calm the priest's words, now after Derek's wonderful words, her eyes were lost in tears again.

"That was beautiful, Derek!" The priest had been touched by his words also. "Meredith, do you have anything to say to Derek?"

"I do." Meredith nodded smiling at Derek. "But I am not sure that I am able to say something now."

Derek smiled and leaned to her ear. "Just tell me you love me!"

"I love you, Derek!" Meredith answered. "I love you for loving Sandy, I love you for loving me, I love you for not calling the police when I hit you!" Meredith giggled as memories from that afternoon ran through her mind. "I love you for being such a wonderful man and for choosing us as family! We wouldn't have even been a family without you, Derek!" Derek wiped gently her cheek. Meredith would have wanted to say more, but she didn't know how to say anymore. She was about to burst into tears again, so she chose to stop.

Derek leaned to her and kissed her cheek.

"These weren't even my vows." Meredith whispered to his ear with a shaky giggle.

"These were the best vows, Mer!" Derek whispered back.

"It was beautiful, Meredith!" the priest smiled at her. "Now let's continue with the last part."

Meredith and Derek returned to their previous positions towards priest.

"Do you Derek Michael Shepherd, take Meredith Elisabeth Grey to be your wife, companion in life for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do" His answer came out loud and clear.

"Do you Meredith Elisabeth Grey, take Derek Michael Shepherd to be your husband, companion in life for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do" Her answer came as undoubtedly as Derek's.

"Does the best man have the ring?" The priest asked Mark as he held out his hand.

Mark took it out of his tux's pocket and put it on the priest's palm. Then the priest gave it to Derek.

Derek took Meredith's left hand and slid slowly the ring on her finger. His whole posture looked calm, but his hands were shaky and made his moves slightly clumsy.

Then it was Meredith's turn to put the ring on his finger and she did it with the same clumsiness as Derek.

"With the power I have been invested by God and church, I pronounce you husband and wife!" The priest brought to end the ceremony as they became husband and wife.

Derek could not resist anymore and taking Meredith's face in his hands, he brought her face up to him and kissed her… softly, on lips, but linger and with love.

"I love you, Meredith Shepherd!"

"I love you, Derek Shepherd!"

Sandy ran and stopped as she put her arms around both of them. She had understood the meaning of a wedding and they were going to be the new Shepherd family from this day forward.

**-------------**

**After a very long time, the new chapter is finally here. I had some hectic days at work and with all the shopping and preparations for Christmas. I wanted to finish the story by now, but now I will bring the last chapters in January.**

**I might have screwed a little the ceremony, but here where I live the weddings are slightly different and with a specific ritual, because we are orthodoxies. I hope you liked this one; I think it was a good chapter.**

**Tomorrow I will leave in vacation and I will be back after the New Year, so allow me to send you the best whishes for Christmas and for what is to come in 2008! I hope that Santa will bring you what you wish for!**

**What I want from Santa? Reviews :D Thank you so much for reading my fics! **

**Dana**

15


	24. miniRomeo

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 24- mini-Romeo**

After ceremony, all the guests moved back to their new house. The large backyard had been entirely filled with people. The weather was perfect: sunny, warm and together with the natural background was giving the picture perfect of a party.

Some of Sandy's elder cousins gave up on their fancy clothes and chose to go fishing with some of their fathers/uncles. Between them, Rebecca was the only girl and for her mother's exasperation, she chose to use her dress as fishing clothing.

The younger girls were too proud to ruin their princesses look. They stayed by the pool playing with the ones close to their age, dancing and taking pictures. Derek's birthday present for Sandy was a pair of white gold earrings with a small pink diamond stone; her eyes gleamed with thrill when Derek showed her the earrings, but once again, that wasn't her favorite present. Just that this time, Derek was the one who offered her the perfect present: a digital photo camera. Ever since she unwrapped it and Derek showed her how to use it, Sandy didn't leave it from her hands and almost every guest from that party, from the youngest to the oldest had been taken in at least one photo by her. Of course, her mommy and daddy had the most pictures, same as her friends.

It was passed noon and they had just cut the wedding cake, so that they could cut Sandy's later. The whole day, Meredith and Derek stayed together, either holding hand in hand or kissing. Now, at that hour, they were kissing.

Meredith let her body leaning with all its weight against Derek, while Derek gently ran his fingers through her hair.

"I can't believe that I am a married man now." Derek smiled as he looked straight in her eyes admiring the happiness and the beauty inside of them.

"You are caged now and all mine." Meredith giggled and tied her hands behind him, as his collarbone became support for her chin.

"No way out?" He asked her.

"No way out."

"Good." Derek pressed a kiss on her lips and breathed against them before one more kiss "I am glad to be trapped by you."

Meredith pulled back from his kiss smiling and then she put her head down on his shoulder, staring ahead in blank.

Though her stare was blank, she did notice something strange around her. "Where is Sandy?" she raised her head as she noticed her daughter's silence. Meredith's ears had followed Sandy's laughs all the time, happy to see her so happy. Now that laugh was missing, Meredith was worried. It was a great thing to enjoy the beautiful view of the lake near their house, but it was also stressing to know Sandy unsupervised, so each time that Meredith noticed her daughter's disappearance, she got panicked. Although, they had explained to Sandy in many rows not to go there alone and Sandy never did it.

"She must be somewhere around here." Derek stated searching the surroundings with his look.

"Do you see her anywhere?" She tried to do the same thing, to catch the sight of her daughter through that crowd.

"There are her friends." Derek stated as he stopped his eyes over the small group of children gathered to one table. "Let's see if they know."

Derek took her hand and led her to that group. "Where is Sandy?" Derek asked them before he got closer to them.

They children looked at each other and all of them hesitated to say anything. "Mia?" Derek asked her more nervous. He was getting scared also.

Mia looked at him sad as she said "She started crying and then she ran away."

"She ran away? Where?" Meredith almost yelled at her. "And why was she crying?"

"Mer" Derek tried to calm her down. "In which direction did she run?" Derek asked Mia.

Mia shrugged with the same hesitation and guilt as before.

"We'll talk about this later!" Derek shot them a glare and a threat before he walked away with Meredith. "She must be somewhere around here." He whispered to Meredith's ear as attempt to calm her down, though he knew it was useless.

Out of nowhere, Izzie showed up and cut them their track. "What happened?" She asked them with a grave tone.

"Have you seen Sandy lately?" Derek asked her straight

"Uh… no" And as she realized that strange thing, Izzie got a little worried. "She must be somewhere around here… with someone."

"Why don't you go with Meredith and check the house?" Derek suggested. "I will take a look around here."

Izzie and Meredith nodded and hurried to get to house.

Inside, only the kitchen was populated. There were the waiters hired to serve them.

"Did you see a little girl in here?" Izzie asked one of the waiters which was coming outside with more beverages.

"No ma'am! I didn't see any girl in here." He stated shaking his head.

The rest of the house seemed quiet, so Izzie suggested her to go and check upstairs.

As they got upstairs, Meredith stopped. "Do you hear that?" She asked Izzie. Izzie remained quiet and tried to listen. "Somebody is crying." Izzie stated as both of them heard a muffled sob coming from one of the rooms.

"Sandy's is crying." It didn't take too long for Meredith to recognize her daughter's sob, so she hurried to her room, closely followed by Izzie.

Opening the door, they found Sandy beside her bed sitting on floor with her knees to her chest and her head buried inside. Her body was shaking and she was badly crying.

"Sweetie" Meredith ran to her and picked her up on her feet.

From the second she heard her mother's voice, Sandy raised her head to her. "Mommy" She let herself sat up by Meredith and once she was back on her feet she jumped at her mother's waist.

"Sandy, what's wrong?" Izzie took her arms off Meredith and picked her up to place her on bed between them.

Sandy refused to leave her mother's body and one more time she laid down to her lap and buried her face in her dress.

"Sandy, did you hurt yourself? Did anyone hurt you?" Meredith asked her as she started to brush slowly her hair.

Sandy didn't answer and she just shook her head, without taking it out from Meredith's dress.

Meredith and Izzie looked at each other questioning. What could have possibly brought her from her happy mood to such a sad one? The same thought ran through their mind; that someone might have said something mean about her not being their daughter.

Meredith picked her up and cradled her body to her chest, rocking her slowly. Sandy's face was now all red and wet from tears, same as few strands from her hair. She continued to cry, but slowly her sobs started to stop when she felt her mother's embrace and comfort.

Meredith didn't insist to find an answer right away knowing that she had to calm down first. She wiped her face using her palm and then she lowered her head to her to kiss her forehead. "Shh… calm down baby!"

Right in that moment, Derek walked inside together with Addison and Christina, also alarmed by Sandy's disappearance.

"What's wrong?" He hurried to them. Izzie stood up when she saw him and let him take her seat on bed beside Meredith.

"We don't know. We found her crying in here." Izzie answered.

"Does it hurt you anything?" Derek asked Sandy as he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

Her tears became rare and she was slowly calming down. She looked at her father and shook her head.

"Then why are you crying? You know you can tell us everything, right?" Meredith asked her tenderly.

Sandy nodded and used Derek's hand as help to sit up. She leaned her back on Meredith's curved arm and rubbed her eyes. "He doesn't… like me … anymore." She muttered between hiccups.

"Who doesn't like you anymore?" Derek asked her clueless.

"Lucas" Her hiccups brought out another answer and several amused groans from grown-ups. Meredith sighed relieved to know that nothing serious had happened to her. "He doesn't… want to be… my boyfriend…anymore." Sandy continued very sad. She wasn't crying anymore, but she continued to be very sad.

Christina rolled her eyes and came in front of them. "Sandy, what are you doing here? I thought that you are an intelligent girl. Crying like this after a brat doesn't make you look intelligent at all." She lectured her with a reproaching tone.

"Christina" Derek snapped at her for the way she offended Sandy.

"She is right, Derek" Meredith defended her Christina and her friends did the same thing. "She was a little too harsh…" Meredith glared her for the tone she used. "… but she is right. It's a silly thing, sweetie to cry like this after a boy. You are still too little to do this."

"It's a silly thing to cry now and ever like this after a boy." Addison corrected Meredith. "If a boy dumps you, then he is not worth it and crying like this would only make him feel better and feed his ego."

"He said Carrie is prettier." Sandy muttered with sadness in her voice.

"Then he is not just stupid, he is also blind." Christina stated.

"That's right! You were too prettier for him." Meredith had started already to rearrange Sandy's hair and now she kissed her cheek as she hugged her tighter.

"If you continue to cry and let him ruin your birthday party, then he is going to be the happy one and the one who wins and you don't want this, right?" Izzie was there also taking Sandy's side.

"You need to find another boy and move on fast to show him that he is not the only boy on this planet." Christina concluded.

"Sandy" Addison called her to make her look at her. "Do you remember when I told you about my cousin and her son, the one who is one year older than you?" She asked her and Sandy nodded. "Well, she has just called me to tell me that they are going to be here soon."

Meredith had met Karen, Addison's cousins, a few years ago when she and Addison went in Michigan to visit Addison's parents. Now Karen together with her 6 years old son, Johnny and her husband Don were coming in Seattle to visit Addison and since their arrival was in the same day with the wedding, Meredith asked Addison to invite them to their party.

"We'll talk about your advices and about this son of your cousin later," Derek had listened to all the things that the women gave to Sandy and he wasn't very happy with their anti-man lectures. "Now do you want me and kick his butt a little?" He asked Sandy, which thing made her giggle and nod at him.

"Derek, now we will have to talk about this also." Meredith laughed as she heard Derek's way to make Sandy feel better.

Derek kissed her before he stood up and picked Sandy up from Meredith. "Now would like to have a dance with the prettiest boy around here?"

"With who?" Sandy was feeling much better now and she asked Derek curious as she rubbed her eyes with both fists.

"With me, of course." Derek answered smirking at her. His answer could not pass without sarcastic laughs from Meredith and her friends.

"Silly daddy." Sandy laughed at him "Mommy says you are not a boy anymore."

"I am a big boy, but it doesn't matter; do you want to go outside and have a dance with me or not?" Derek kissed her cheek.

"I do" Sandy kissed him back and hung on his neck to be carried downstairs.

"But first, let's wash your face a little, ok?" Derek suggested as they walked out of the room.

----------------

Sandy returned to her party and Derek's company brought back her laugh and happiness. She was at her second dance with her father, and she could not stop from laughing each time Derek swung her around or bent her body to back.

Together with Christina, Meredith sat down on a table and both watched how much fun Sandy was having.

"Look at her now!" Christina stated when Sandy let her head fell to back laughing. "She is just like Clara." Christina never looked to find comparisons between Sandy and her birth parents, but this time it was too obvious even for her.

"You could swear that it is Clara's laugh." Meredith smiled with a shade of sadness in her voice.

"Yeah" Christina approved silently.

"Mer" Addison called her name and broke their trance. Christina and Meredith looked back at Addison and they saw her coming to them with a young couple and a child.

"Karen?" Meredith stood up surprised to recognize Addison's cousin. She had changed a little during the past years, but it was hard not to recognize her. Karen was in the same age as Addison and both shared the same taste in clothes, hairstyle and make up; very fancy and expensive look. Plus, they were sharing the same similar tone at their hair color.

Her husband, a tall man in his early 30s was a matching pair for Karen as sobriety. Their son, a cute little blonde boy with big blue eyes was holding his mother's hand looking curious around him fascinated by all the joy and music from their party.

"Meredith" Karen let Johnny's hand and walked over to give a hug to Meredith. "Congratulations Meredith… for many things!" She laughed as she pulled back and looked down at her bump and then at her wedding dress.

"Thank you, Karen! You look as glamorous as always!" Meredith complimented her as she analyzed her from head to feet.

"Thank you, Meredith! These are my husband Don and my son Johnny!" Karen introduced her family.

"It's very nice to meet you, Don, Johnny!" Meredith shook her hand with Don and then with Johnny. The boys smiled charming at her as she greeted them.

"Where are your husband and your daughter?" Addison asked her emphasizing the words husband and daughter knowing how much Meredith loves them.

Meredith grinned as she pointed to the dance floor. As she looked back at them, Derek caught Meredith's eyes and then he saw the new guests therefore, he stopped the dancing and carrying Sandy in his arms, he came over to them. He was also introduced to Karen, Don and Johnny, but when Sandy and Johnny were introduced to each other, both of them played shy, Sandy hiding her face in her father's neck curve and Johnny hiding behind his father.

"Now son, this is not how a boy should proceed when he meets a girl. It's a shame!" Don stated as he brought Johnny in front of him.

Derek didn't say anything to Sandy; he just put her down facing the new guest.

"Why don't you give Sandy her present?" Karen urged him as she gave him a bag.

The boy took the bag and handed it to Sandy. Urged by Derek, Sandy took the bag from Johnny and together with it, she received a quick kiss on cheek and a "Happy birthday!"

Sandy giggled surprised by his gesture and smiled up at Meredith. She saw on her face that Meredith was waiting something from her and she understood what. "Thank you!" She answered to Johnny's gesture. Suddenly, the ice broke and none of them was shy anymore. They smiled at each other and then Sandy held out her hand to Johnny, "Do you want to play with me?"

The boy didn't even wait for his parents approve; he took her hand and walked away with her.

"She dumped me!" Derek stated as he watched them leaving. "She actually left me for another guy." He looked at Meredith and she could see that he was indeed hurt by that. "She used me and left me."

"You will have to get used with this!" Don chuckled. "As long as it's not your wife the one who does this."

Meredith kissed him. "But don't worry! I am sure that she still wants to marry you when she will grow up!" Meredith laughed remembering what Sandy had declared to her in that morning.

"I will see what I can do for her." Derek laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Come on guys!" Addison urged her cousin "Let me introduce you to Mark!"

Karen and Don left with Addison and Derek was left with Meredith and Christina.

"Now seriously speaking, since when a 5 years old has love problems?" Derek asked them.

"I didn't have this kind of problems." Meredith shook her head smiling.

"Me neither!" Christina stated.

"I dumped the boy when I was 5" Meredith added to her previous statement with a proud smile.

"Evil!" Derek shook his head at her. "I have to make Sandy to come to me when she has problems like these, because with you… she might get to torture the boys when she will grow up."

"You can try, but I doubt that it will work!" Meredith smiled superior at him.

"Don't have any doubts that I won't try!" Derek warned her. "In the meantime I need to have a serious talk with a guy."

"Derek, leave him alone! They are just kids." Meredith tried to convince him not to do something silly.

"Don't worry, Mer! We will have a friendly talk… as from a man to another. He needs to learn some things about girls. For example how not to dump her on their birthday parties because their daddy's might kill him." Derek kissed her cheek and turned around to walk away.

"Derek" Meredith stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"I won't put myself in any trouble. I will be right back." He kissed her again and took her hand away from him before he walked away.

"He is going to kick his butt!" Christina laughed amused. "I was lucky…I didn't have any interest in boys until I was 7." Christina stated.

"I am lucky too!" Meredith forgot about Derek and smiled suggestively at Christina. "We are alone now and you can tell why did you and George kiss? Is he your new love interest?"

"It was just a kiss." Christina answered trying to play indifferent.

"A kiss like that meant more than just a kiss."

"Why don't you go and save your newly husband from jail?" Christina turned her around to the direction where Derek had left.

"Ok. You don't have to tell me more about that kiss, because you already did it!" Meredith came to her own conclusion and left to other guests.

Christina smiled and turned around walking in opposite direction.

7


	25. Come on out now, baby

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 25- Come on out now, baby!**

Because Helen chose to stay in Seattle with Meredith and Derek and take care of Sandy until Meredith would get into the maternity leave, they didn't hire a nanny for Sandy. Meredith was now in her last days of pregnancy and because of Derek's busy schedule at hospital, Helen was still in Seattle, to be there for Meredith just in case.

Sandy became very impatient and every day she sent Meredith to hospital, so that she could meet her little sister sooner. Each time Meredith and Derek tried to explain her that it wasn't the time yet, but each time Sandy frowned and went to play alone ignoring everybody for a while.

Helen and Meredith tried to keep her busy, brining her in kitchen as help, taking her out in park, while in the evening Derek was spending his free time with her: fishing or telling her stories. Nothing from all these could keep her busy long enough.

Meredith was now 3 days before her due date and as Sandy was becoming more nervous than before, as nervous Meredith was becoming.

It was morning when Meredith received a phone call from Derek. After a short talk, she hung up smiling. "Addison gave birth to her baby boy." She announced Helen and Sandy who were in living room with her.

"Already?" Helen asked surprised. They had received another phone call from Derek earlier telling them that Addison was in labor, so now she was surprised to see how fast her labor passed.

"Yeah." Meredith smiled with some worry imprinted on her face as she rubbed her big bump. "I hope I will be as lucky as her."

"No matter how the labor will go, at the end of it, when you will hold your daughter in arms, everything else will be forgotten." Helen moved next her on couch and rubbed her arm as comfort.

"Promise?" Meredith asked her with distrust same as Sandy was doing when she was looking for some encouragement from her.

"I promise." Helen smiled confident.

Sandy was living room drawing down on the coffee table when the phone rang. As she heard Meredith's announcement, she sighed disappointed and returned her attention over her paper and crayons.

Meredith and Helen smiled at each other when they saw her reaction. It was an anticipated reaction considering how anxious she was to meet her sister. For Sandy, all these seemed as if her sister was refusing to come out on this world and she was suffering a lot because of the waiting.

"We should get ready to go and visit them." Meredith suggested. Helen approved with a nod and helped her up.

They saw Sandy bent over her draw motionless and without showing any intention of following them.

"Sandy?" Meredith called her.

Sandy refused to look at her. "I am not coming!" She muttered furious.

Meredith sighed and kneeled down beside her. "Sweetie"

"I don't want to see him." Sandy burst angrier almost yelling at her. Her reaction shocked the two women.

Meredith saw tears forming in Sandy's eyes, so she decided not to argue her. She took her face in her hands and turned it to her. She looked into her eyes smiling and then kissed her forehead. "Our baby will be up soon! I promise!" Meredith told her tenderly. "She can't stay in there for too long. Just try to be patient."

Sandy nodded slowly from her head. She shifted on Meredith's legs and as she leaned her body against her, she caressed the big bump. She made large circles through the navy sweater as her small palm ran over it. "I don't want to see him now." She muttered sadly.

"Sandy" Meredith stood up and sat down on couch. She pulled Sandy to her and hugged her. "Addie will be very disappointed if you won't come with us and see her baby. Why don't you want to come?"

"You could play with her baby until yours will be birthed." Helen said as attempt to make her feel better.

"I don't want to play with him! I want to play with my sister." Sandy showed her stubbornness as she burst nervous once again.

"That's enough, Sandy!" Meredith yelled at her when she couldn't stand her attitude anymore. She pushed her away from her and holding her by her arms, she looked at her serious. "What's with this behavior? You are acting like spoiled child and I don't like this at all."

Sandy froze when she heard her mother yelling at her and stayed quiet unable to say anything back.

"If you don't want to see Addie and the baby, it's ok, but you still have to come with us at hospital." Meredith lowered her voice and stood up. "You should get dressed now!" She told her and then she walked out.

Sandy watched her leaving and then she looked worried at her grandma. Helen smiled as she came to her and taking Meredith's seat on couch, she brought Sandy to her. "That wasn't nice of you, Sandy and your mother is right! It's not nice to yell at persons older than you and it's definitely rude not to go and see Addie. She will be very disappointed if you won't go."

Sandy's face expression changed from sad and angry to guilty. "I'm sorry I yelled!" She muttered silently.

"I know you are sorry and you should go now and apologize to your mother too!" Helen smiled tenderly at her.

Sandy nodded and left after her mother.

Meredith's bedroom door was closed, so Sandy opened it slowly. She pushed it a little and sneaked her head inside to see what her mother was doing. Meredith was nowhere to be seen, but Sandy could hear some noises coming from her dressing room. She stepped inside letting the door half-open and climbed up on a chair.

Meredith had changed her trousers with a pair of jeans and put on some boots before she returned in bedroom. When she came back, she stirred noticing Sandy's presence there.

"When did you enter here?" She asked her smiling almost forgetting about her bad behavior from earlier.

Sandy smiled shyly and shrugged. She climbed down from chair and ran to her. Hugging one of Meredith's legs, Sandy put her head on her bump. "I am sorry I yelled, mommy!" She said.

Meredith smiled and pulled her away from her legs. She took her face in her hands and smiled at her. "I forgive you!"

Sandy smiled more confident this time. Then she let out a sigh and looked around her as if she was waiting for Meredith to get ready.

"Don't you want to change your clothes?" Meredith asked her. Sandy was wearing a pair of pink trousers with a white top imprinted with pink bunnies and a pair of white snickers.

Sandy smiled as she shook her head.

Meredith could see Sandy wasn't fine yet, so she sat down on a chair and held out a hand for her to come. Sandy took it and landed in her mother's arms. "Now tell me why don't you want to go and meet little Josh?" Meredith asked her. Addison and Mark had chosen to name their baby Joshua and for Sandy's pleasure, they named him Derek too.

"Because." She answered simple. This time she brought back her sad face.

"Come on, Sandy! We always talk about all kind of things; now tell me why don't you want to meet Addie's baby?" Meredith asked her patiently.

Sandy sighed and remained quiet looking down at her feet as her back was leaning against Meredith.

Meredith gave her a few moments to come with the answer, but when she saw she didn't show any intention to speak, Meredith spoke up again. "Sandy?"

Sandy sighed again and then she turned around to her mother. "Mommy?"

"What is it?"

"Mommy, do you think that people will love Jessie less now that Josh was born first?" Sandy asked her.

Meredith looked at her confused and for a few moments she got quiet trying to process the meaning of Sandy's question. "Sweetie, are you afraid that people will love Jessie less now that Josh was born first?" Meredith asked her still confused, but amused in the same time.

Sandy nodded reluctantly.

"Sandy" Meredith laughed as she took her face into her hands and pressed a strong kiss on her forehead. "It doesn't matter how much the others will love your sister. The most important thing will be how much her sister and parents will love her."

"I will love her." Sandy stated innocent.

"I am sure you will." Meredith giggled. "I have no doubt."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Sandy."

"I want the people to like our baby."

Meredith understood now her reaction from earlier. She had put her baby sister and Addison's baby in competition.

"And mommy?" Sandy needed to mention more.

"Yes." Meredith waited curious to find out what other fear her daughter had.

"Don't say Josh is pretty."

Meredith shook her head laughing. She picked her up and placed her on her leg. "Josh is pretty, because all the babies are pretty and people won't love Josh more than they will love Jessie. Do you know why?" Meredith asked her, but Sandy answered with a puzzled look. "Because Josh is a boy and Jessie will be a girl; so Addie and Mark have now a beautiful baby boy and we will have a beautiful baby girl."

Sandy smiled brightly and all her worries from earlier faded away. "But why doesn't Jessie want to come out?" Her cheerful face lasted a second. That's how long it took her to remember that her sister was late to come.

"She wants to come out and she will. She will be out in 3 days." Meredith explained her and showed her in the same time 3 fingers. "This means just 3 mornings left until then."

"That's long, mommy!" Sandy whined discontented with that number.

"It's not that long, Sandy!" Meredith smiled as attempt to calm her down. "Maybe it will be less than 3 days. Now it depends on how hurried she is to come out."

"Really?" Sandy asked her with excitement and Meredith nodded. Sandy leaned down to Meredith's bump and sticking her lips on it, she whispered. "Come on out now, baby!"

Meredith laughed as she heard her. "Let's not push her, ok!"

"I can't wait to see her, mommy!" Her voice trembled of emotion.

Right in that moment, Meredith felt a hit in her tummy. "I think she can't wait to meet her too." She said to Sandy as she took her hand and put it on her tummy. Sandy kissed her sister again through Meredith's bump.

"You are so silly, sweetie!" Meredith laughed as she caressed her head.

"Me?" Sandy asked her.

"Yes, you."

"I am not silly." Sandy frowned.

"Sometimes you are, but don't worry because I love you even when you are silly." Meredith leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Sandy giggled and hung on her neck pressing a kiss on cheek. "I am not silly." She continued with the giggle and the kisses.

Meredith laughed harder under Sandy's kisses and pulled her back into her arms. "You are a sweetheart."

"I am a sweetheart." Sandy laughed back and jumped from Meredith's arms.

"Go and put some nice clothes on you, ok? We need to make a good first impression to Josh." Meredith urged her.

Sandy nodded and ran out from Meredith's bedroom.

**-------------------**

When Sandy walked out of elevator, she was holding Meredith and Helen's hands, but as she saw her daddy on hospital's hallway, she ran from them shouting after him.

"Daddy" Derek reacted fast at her first shout, so she soon landed in his arms. Derek picked her up and spunher in air.

"How's my girl doing?" Derek asked her after he settled her in his arms.

"I came to see Josh" and as she said that, her smile slowly started to fade away.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked her worried when he saw her sudden change.

Meredith patted her tummy as answer and Derek understood. "You can play with Josh until Jessie will join us."

Sandy nodded, but she didn't do it very confident.

"Let's see Addie and the baby!" Derek said carrying Sandy in his arms. He came over to Helen and kissed her cheek and then he went to greet Meredith. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous" Meredith smiled. Sandy passed her impatience to meet her baby sister to Meredith also.

Derek smiled and kissed her before he led them to Addison's room.

**-------------------**

Derek knocked slowly at Addison's room and without waiting an answer, he sneaked his head inside to see if they could come in. Just that as he did that, Sandy, who was still in his arms, pushed the door open so that she could see inside also.

"Addie" She squealed when she saw Addison in bed with Mark by her side and the baby in her arms.

"Shh" Addison and Mark made a gesture to keep her voice down.

"Sorry guys." Derek whispered as he walked inside with Sandy, Meredith and Helen.

Unfortunately for them, little Josh didn't like Sandy's excited voice and started crying with all his lungs.

Addison smiled slightly at them letting them that it was ok and brought Josh upper to her chest. She rocked him slowly and luckily, he went back to sleep right away.

"He is noisy." Sandy winced covering her ears while Josh was screaming.

Derek chuckled as he took on of her hands away from her ear to kiss her. "You will have to get used with loud screams." Sandy looked at him worried unable to understand the meaning of his warning.

"Should we come back later?" Meredith asked Addison.

"No" Addison shook her head. "Our families are here and we won't be able to make a step inside later."

"They gave us a break, so I guess that you can stay for a minute." Mark stated earning a light slap from Addison. Mark rolled his eyes and stood up to let Meredith sit down next to Addison.

Meredith walked over and before she sat down, she smiled at Mark. "Congratulations, Mark!"

Mark winked and pulled her into a quick hug. Mark wasn't a very nice guy, but Meredith was part of his life now, such as Addison and Derek were.

Meredith giggled at his uncommon gesture, but she didn't say anything to him in tease. She took the seat he had offered her next to Addison and looked at the little man who was now sleeping in his mother's arms. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure" Addison held out the baby so that Meredith could take him.

Meredith settled him in her arms and rocked him slowly not wishing to disturb his sleep again. "He is precious, Addison! Congratulations!"

"Thanks Meredith!" Addison put her head down on Meredith's shoulder to be watch her son closer.

"He is mine… of course he is precious!" Mark bragged. "Ain't I precious?"

Everyone looked at him with pity for his need to be complimented.

"Actually I think he has Addison's features." Meredith stated. She couldn't tell for sure with who Josh looked-like, but she found it cute to make him jealous a little.

Mark sniffed and decided to ignore her comment knowing what she was trying to do.

Derek put Sandy on Addison's bed and then he sat down.

Sandy crawled to Meredith and sat on her lap to give a closer look to the baby. Now that she had him in front of her, Sandy could not help but smile and touched him with if fear. She looked up at her mother first as is she looked for her approval, so when Meredith smiled nodding, Sandy touched his little hand and with a lot of care she held it. "He is pretty." Because everyone in there was talking in whisper, Sandy whispered too. She could no longer hide her thrill to see Addison's baby. Her jealousy from earlier was now all gone.

Meredith and Derek smiled at each other happy to see her so happy.

Sandy let his hand go to be able to touch him more. She ran her hand gently over his body visibly amazed to see such a little man. When Meredith caressed his forehead, his hat slipped of his head a little, so she rearranged it back on. While her mother did that, Sandy giggled and stated a bit louder than before. "He has no hair."

Everyone chuckled at her cute observation. "He will have hair soon." Meredith said.

"What color?" Sandy asked her.

Meredith looked at Addison for some help. She hadn't had the chance to see much of him yet. "Blonde?"

"Yes." Addison confirmed with a nod. "He will have his daddy's hair." She smiled brightly at Mark.

"Ok, because I don't like the boys with red hair." Sandy stated looking back at Josh.

"We know you are very pretentious now when it comes to boys." Derek laughed.

"I broke up with Benny." Sandy stated without taking her eyes from Josh.

"Who?" Derek looked confused at Meredith.

Meredith smiled. "She met him in park last week. I thought I told you."

"You did, but I think that you omitted to tell me that he was her new boyfriend." Derek snapped at her nervous.

"Calm down, Derek! She is 5… they are kids! There's nothing serious going on." Meredith smiled trying to calm him down. Since Sandy's birthday party, Derek was strict each time that Sandy told him about what new friends she made, especially about the boys.

"What happened with Eric?" Derek asked Sandy. Eric was the one he knew as her 'boyfriend'.

"I like Eric." Again, Sandy answered without looking at any of the grown-ups around her. "But Benny threw with sand in me, so I only Eric now."

"Smart girl!" Addison kissed her.

"Smart…" Derek jumped up of bed stunned by what he had heard. "You only have Eric now?" He snapped at Sandy. "And you are calling her smart?" He looked reproaching at Addison and then at Meredith "And you are saying that I should calm down?"

"Derek, keep your voice down!" Mark slapped his back nervous.

Derek realized he was indeed a little too loud, so he took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"Meredith, she needs to know that it's wrong to be with more than one boy. Is this what you and your friends are going to teach our daughters?"

"I am so glad I have a son." Mark laughed at the trouble that Derek was forced to confront with.

"Derek, she is still young, you don't need to be worried about her right now." Meredith said.

"I am not worried for now, I am worried for later, Meredith!"

Meredith and Derek weren't arguing, but from their grave voices, Sandy could tell that something serious was going on with her parents. Therefore, she didn't care about the baby that much and moving down between Meredith and Addison, she looked at her parents trying to figure out if something bad was going on.

"We will talk with her about this at the right time, Derek. She doesn't even know what a boyfriend means." Meredith told him.

"To me, the right time seems now!" Derek stated firmly.

"He is right, Meredith." Helen interfered. "She might not know about all these now, but she will grow up with this in her mind."

Meredith didn't reply. It was cute and funny to see her 5 years old daughter dealing with boy problems, but she understood how bad this might become for Sandy later.

"I don't think I want a boyfriend anymore." Sandy muttered. She seemed to have understood what her parents were talking about and what she hated the most was to see them arguing.

Derek smiled proudly at his daughter and leaned to her to kiss her forehead.

"You will want one when you will grow up, now you can only be friend with them." Meredith told her. "Do you want to hold Josh a little?"

Sandy shook her head and smiled at her. "I want to hold Jess first." She stated earning a couple of 'awws' from the others.

Derek could not resist and picked her up in his arms. "That's my good girl!" He kissed her and gave her a strong hug.

Sandy giggled happy with all the love that Derek was offering her in that moment.

They didn't stay there for long, because Josh had started fussing, so Mark threw them out. Sandy refused to leave at first, but after Meredith assured her that she would stay with her baby sister as much as she would want, she gave up and left with them.

Meredith proposed to do some shopping for Sandy and for her baby sister and Sandy could not be more thrilled than that. Derek couldn't leave from hospital, so Meredith and Sandy left to shopping only with Helen.

----------------

That evening, Sandy fell asleep during her bedtime story and Helen was already in her bed.

It had been a long and exhausting day for Derek at hospital and Meredith's wasn't easier … Sandy took care of that with her passion for shopping… so soon after Sandy, they drift off to sleep too.

About an hour later, Meredith woke up with sharp pains in her abdomen. She didn't panic because she knew what those were.

"Derek" She whispered as she started shoving him. "Derek, wake up!"

Derek rolled over to her side sleepy and confused. "What is it?"

"I think I am in labor, Derek." Meredith answered taking deep breaths to attenuate to pain.

"You are what?" Derek almost yelled and jumped out of bed.

Out of nowhere, Sandy opened the door and walked inside. "Mommy?" She looked at her smiling. She didn't even look as she had just woken up and though Meredith didn't make noise, Sandy seemed to know what was going on.

"Sandy, what are you doing up?" Meredith asked her, while Derek was pacing around the room nervous trying to figure what he was supposed to do next.

"I had a dream, mommy!" Sandy came running to her bedside. Then she saw the pain from her mother's face. "Mommy?" she looked at her worried.

"You dreamed your sister, didn't you?" Meredith asked her laughing.

"Yes" Sandy smiled too.

"I guess that soon you will see her for real." Meredith winced as another contraction hit her. She took a deep breath after the contraction passed and looked down at Sandy. "Why don't you go and kick your daddy to calm down and then go and wake up grandma?"

Sandy giggled. "I go wake up grandma." And as she said that she turned around and ran out of their bedroom.

"Derek?" Meredith called Derek, who was still pacing back and forward. He stopped and came to her.

"Does it hurt badly?" He asked her worried.

"Derek, helped me out of bed." Meredith knew she wouldn't be able to count on Derek's help, so she decided to help herself. Derek helped her up and with difficulty Meredith started to put some street clothes on her.

Derek tried to help her with those, but he was too nervous to do it right so he became a pain in ass for Meredith.

Helen came to them together with Sandy and helped Meredith get ready. While Helen helped Meredith, Sandy went to stay with her daddy. Sandy's calm was soon transferred to Derek too. "I will take mommy to hospital and you will stay here with grandma, ok?"

"No! I want to come with you!" Sandy protested. Her sister was about to come out and she needed to me there and greet her. "I am coming with you mommy." She looked at Meredith when she saw Derek's disapproving look.

"Let her come, Derek! She won't be able to sleep anyway." Meredith told him. "But you need to get dressed first."

The contractions weren't that bad and the water hadn't broken yet, so Meredith was able to stay and wait until everyone got ready. They were about to get out on door, when Sandy remembered something and stopped them. "Wait" She ran back upstairs and in a second she returned downstairs with a small bag. Her present for her baby sister: a baby doll with Jessica's name embroidered on it.

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I have two more chapters and then the sequel will be up. Thank you so much to those who stayed with me until now and I also thank you to those who posted comments.

_The next chapter should be up in two days or so._

10


	26. This is our baby

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 26- This is our baby**

Sandy refused to let her father's neck from the moment he came out from Meredith's room. Meredith was in labor for 2 hours already and during those hours, Sandy stayed on hallway with Helen impatiently waiting to see her mother and sister. From the second she saw Derek coming outside to give them an update, Sandy ran from Helen straight in Derek's arms.

Derek picked her up and kissed her. "Be patient, sweetie!"

"How is mommy?" She asked him with worry. Meredith tried to hide her pain during their ride to hospital, but Sandy could still see how bad she was feeling.

"Mommy is fine." Derek smiled tenderly.

"Does it hurt her badly?" Sandy asked him.

"A little, but she will be fine."

"Daddy, I don't think I want a sister anymore." She put her forehead down on his shoulder and a sob broke from her throat.

"Aww sweetie." Derek held her tight in his arms and took her to the waiting area where he sat down on a chair. He put her down on his lap right when she burst in tears. "Now don't cry."

"I don't… want mommy to suffer." Sandy was now crying with real tears. She didn't know much about birth. All she knew was that her mother went inside of a room a long time ago and since then she hadn't seen her.

Helen was already on a chair beside Derek and tried to sooth Sandy's worry. "She doesn't suffer, sweetie. It hurts… just a little; it's like when you fall and hurt your knee." Helen lied. She was a mother also and knew the hell that Meredith was going through right in that moment, but she couldn't find a better way to help Sandy.

Sandy looked at her with crying eyes and sniffed. "Really?"

"Really." Helen smiled happy to see her responding positive to her lie.

"Then why doesn't the baby come out?" Sandy wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at Helen.

"This takes time, but the baby will come out any minute now." Helen explained.

"Izzie is cutting open mommy's tummy?" Sandy asked and winced at her own thought. She covered her tummy as if she felt it cut. She insisted to know how the baby would get out, so she received this version.

Derek chuckled when he saw her and put an arm around her waist. "Izzie will give her a shot not to feel anything." Sandy looked at him with even more worry than before. She knew how unpleasant a shot was. "Mommy is a big girl, so the shot won't hurt her either." Derek smiled and wiped her cheeks. She was no longer crying, but she obviously still sad and worried. "I should get back in there and be there with mommy." He said and stood up.

"No" When he was about to move Sandy from his lap to Helen, Sandy shouted and hung on his neck.

"Don't you want me to go and take care of mommy?" Derek asked her as he tried to untie her arms from his neck.

"No" She buried her face in his neck curve refusing firmly to let him go. "I don't want to be alone." She muttered.

"But Sandy, you are not alone. Grandma is here and Christina will be here also." Derek tried again to release himself from her grip.

"Come here, Sandy!" Helen took her little body in her hands and tried to pull her from Derek. "Come, I will tell you a story until your daddy will be back."

"No" Sandy refused and sounded as she was about to burst into tears again. "Don't leave me, daddy!"

Derek sighed frustrated in front of the new situation. He understood Sandy's fear of not losing her parents, so he knew it wouldn't be easy to make her let him go. He sat back down on chair and felt her body becoming limp instantly now that she knew he would stay with her. "We can't let mommy alone in there." He whispered after he had brought her on his arms. He rocked her slowly and Sandy stopped from crying.

"Grandma can go." She muttered looking up at Helen.

Derek sighed resigned. He knew there was no chance for him to return to his wife.

"I will go to her." Helen smiled understanding the situation.

"Meredith won't be very happy with this." Derek warned her.

Helen stood up and chuckled as she stated: "We will blame it on Sandy and she will have to forgive us."

Derek smiled and nodded. He sat Sandy up on his lap. "I am stuck with you now." He joked, but Sandy looked at him sad. "I am happy to be stuck with you." Derek smiled when he saw her sadness. Sandy was too worried with what was going on with her mother, so she didn't taste his little jokes. She put her head down on his chest and started playing with his scrub top. Derek sighed resigned again and gave up.

They stood there in silence, Sandy playing Derek's clothes and Derek playing with Sandy's hair for about one hour. Helen hadn't come out to give them an update over Meredith's state since she went to her.

"Hey" Christina came running breathless to them and broke the silence. She sat down on a chair beside them trying to catch up her breath.

"Hey Christina" Derek was the only one who greeted her. Sandy just looked up at her when she heard her, but then she put her head back down on Derek.

"What are you doing here?" Christina asked him after a while, surprised to see him on hallway and not inside with Meredith. "Why aren't you in there with Meredith?"

Derek sighed and gestured down to Sandy letting her know the reason.

Christina shook her head with disapprove. "You really need a healthy beat, Sandy!"

Sandy clutched at Derek's chest and sunk her face in his scrub top.

"That helped a lot, Christina!" Derek glared her as he ran his hand up and down on Sandy's back as comfort.

Christina rolled her eyes and leaned back to her chair. "She needs to get rid of this fear of not getting alone, Derek."

"She will. We are working on it, Christina!" Despite the fact that he was kept away from his wife's side, to have Christina there, teaching him how to educate Sandy, made Derek burst nervous at her. "The slaps are not a solution."

"Whatever" Christina stood up and started walking away from them. "I am going to see how Meredith is."

Now that was something that brought her back in Derek's graces. He desperately needed to know how Meredith was doing.

"Calm down now, Sandy!" Derek pulled Sandy away from him while he spoke to her in a tender voice. Looking into her eyes, he could read their sadness and worry and no matter how much he wished to be with Meredith when the baby would born, he felt pity for Sandy to leave her. "Tell her I love her!" He shouted after Christina, when she was about turn to corner.

Christina got his message and simply nodded as answer.

Being left alone with Sandy again, Derek picked up the bag that Helen had dropped down beside his chair and took out the baby doll. "Do you want to hold the doll?"

Sandy nodded and taking it from Derek, she brought it to her chest holding it as if she was holding a baby. Derek could feel her sighing again and it was obvious to him how tired she was. Derek checked his watch and saw that it was almost midnight. "Do you want to take a nap?" He asked her and started rocking her slowly.

"No" Sandy nodded and muttered silently. "Will mommy be ok?"

Derek smiled and nodded confident. "Many mommies go through this when they give birth to a baby. Your mommy will be fine, I promise!"

Sandy listened him with curious eyes and after his promise she winced as she stated "I don't want to have babies."

"Why?" Derek guessed why, but he knew how much Sandy loved the babies. Although, he had no doubt that she would choose a job that involves her working with babies.

"I don't like the pain." She frowned.

"I don't like the pain either, but sometimes the pain can bring good things… like your sister." Derek explained. He knew that his explication might be pointless for Sandy, considering her early age, but sometimes he was surprised with the intelligence she showed.

Sandy sighed again and rested her head on Derek. No matter how anxious she was to see her sister and mother, she was very tired and she could hardly keep her eyes open.

Derek smiled relieved to see her calmer and continued to rock her slowly until Sandy finally drifted to sleep. He leaned his back on chair looking for a more comfortable position and waited. He waited watching Sandy's sleep and hoped that someone would come out with an update about Meredith.

Derek was about to fall asleep too minutes later, when Christina returned to him. He saw her coming, so he shook his head to banish the sleep and straightened up in his seat. Sandy was now sleeping peacefully in his arms.

"How's Meredith?" He asked Christina in whisper.

"Do you want me to hold her?" Christina asked him seeing Sandy asleep.

Derek hesitated with the answer and asked her again "How's Meredith? What did she say?"

Christina smiled. "She says she loves you too … and some other 'sweet' words." She joked emphasizing the word 'sweet'.

Derek sighed frustrated, but that was an expected reaction from Meredith. "How long do you think it will take? How apart are the contractions?"

"They are taking her in the delivery room now, so in about few minutes you are going to become a daddy." Christina informed him.

Derek started grinning at that thought and felt how the happiness overwhelmed him. He brought Sandy upper to him and kissed her forehead. "I am already a father." Derek corrected Christina. Right in that moment, holding a sleepy Sandy in his arms and waiting to see the baby, Derek felt his success as family life. That was the success he wished he would meet when he had that walk in that park. Baby Jessie was his first-born and he was aware of that, but Sandy was his first child.

Christina had muttered something about Sandy and something about 'again', but Derek didn't really hear her. "Do you want me to hold her?" Christina asked him louder repeating the question.

Christina's loud voice made Derek snap out of his daze and Sandy stir. Sandy slowly opened her eyes rubbing them frenetically. "Where is mommy?" She asked sleepy, still unaware of the place where she was. After she woke up more and found herself at hospital, everything came back to her. "Can we see mommy?" She asked Derek and moved in the sit up position.

"It's ok, Christina! I will stay with her." Derek answered brushing Sandy's messy hair. "We will see mommy in just a few minutes."

Sandy was too sleepy to alarm herself again, so she nodded and leaned her head against Derek.

"Sandy, your mommy needs your daddy in there. Why don't you come and stay with me?" Christina thought she could help him get rid of Sandy so that he could go and be there for Meredith.

Sandy looked at her and then at Derek. She climbed down from his lap and went to Christina. That took Derek by surprise.

"See? You can go and thank me later." Christina stated proudly as she picked Sandy up.

Derek had the impulse to stand up and run to Meredith, but something made him change his mind and stay still. All of the sudden he wasn't sure that he should go in there. "I think I am going to wait here." He smiled a little embarrassed at Christina. When he saw her funny look, Derek needed to justify himself. "She is going to give birth in any minute now, so… I shouldn't … disturb her." He rambled and held out his arms for Sandy to take her back.

Christina giggled and placed Sandy back on Derek's lap coughing "coward".

Derek heard her insult, but ignored it and once that he had Sandy with him again, Derek started rearranging Sandy's ponytail.

"Are you happy, Derek?" Christina asked him as she watched the pleasure he was playing with Sandy's hair.

Derek looked at her strangely, but then he smiled and Christina could have taken her answer just looking into his eyes. "This word is not enough to describe what I'm feeling right now." He stated and stroked gently Sandy's hair.

"Are you indeed that happy?" Christina asked him. She did it casual. It wasn't that she didn't believe him, because she believed him, but she needed to understand why. When she saw the frown from Derek's face, she smiled slightly. "I mean why? No long time ago your work was your life, but now your family is your life."

Derek smiled as he understood what she wanted to find out. "I grew up in a big family. I had a blessing childhood. When I grew up and I decided to become a doctor, everything became like a challenge for me. I was fascinated with my job and … I became addicted to it." He smiled as he confessed. "But then I came in Seattle and something made me take a walk through that park and seeing those people playing happily remembered me of the good old times." Derek smiled at Sandy, who was listening curious, not understanding too much, and kissed her. "I am happy because I am not only doing what I love the most at work, but I am also reliving my childhood."

Christina showed him a touching smile. "I loved my childhood."

"So did I." Derek confessed smiling at Sandy, who was now playing with Jessie's doll. He ran his fingers through her ponytail exactly how Sandy was doing with the short hair that was coming from under the doll's hat.

"I would even give up on sex if I could bring those times back." Christina stared ahead in blank and confessed that more to herself.

"Christina." Derek shoved her angry to hear the way she was talking in front of Sandy.

Luckily, Sandy was too sleepy now and too concerned for her mother and sister to pay attention to the grown-ups talk.

Christina continued to stare ahead in blank looking as if she was contemplating to her own thoughts.

"I am pregnant." She said and then she looked at Derek.

Derek was shocked by her confession. They weren't even that good friends, so now to see her confessing something that important like her pregnancy, was something that Derek would have never expected.

Now that was something that Sandy found interesting. She knew already what pregnant meant: more babies for her. "Really?" She asked her grinning.

"Yeah" Christina answered dryly without even looking at her. She was waiting a reaction from Derek.

Derek had never confronted with a situation like this, at least not with one of Meredith's friends. "Uhh… Congratulations?" He smiled confused at her. He knew she wasn't the mother type, so he had no idea what she was expecting him say.

"Yeah… I guess." She replied not very confident.

It was still an awkward conversation for Derek, but he decided to go along with it. "Is it George's?"

Her eyes slowly rose to him at his question. He wasn't supposed to know about her and George. "I am going to stay with Meredith." She stated standing up fast and didn't let room for any other word or question for Derek.

Derek smiled relieved but in the same time knowingly. Judging from her reaction, he was sure now that Christina was pregnant.

"I like George." Sandy confessed smiling at Derek. "He is funny."

Derek smiled brightly and stroked her cheek. He leaned down to her and kissed her nose, earning a sweet giggle from her. "I like him too." He stated. "It seems that you will have many babies to play and take care of. You will be their big sister."

Sandy grinned at him. She was beyond happy to know that.

Derek saw her yawning. "Are you sleepy?" But Sandy simply shook her head. "I'll wake you up when we'll go see mommy and Jessie."

"I am not sleepy." Sandy answered with another yawn and put her head back on Derek's chest. She was determined to stay up and wait for her sister.

"Ok" Derek chuckled and brought his arms around her. He looked at his watch. It was already midnight. His daughter was going to be born on the 14th of September.

"I am bored." Sandy sighed once again as she stated sleepy.

"I know. Maybe you should get some sleep." He suggested and tried to bring her down on his arms again, but this time she refused to let him do it. "I promise, Sandy! When we'll go to see mommy and Jessie, I will wake you up."

"No" Sandy looked at him with pleading eyes and shook her head.

Derek smiled warmly at her smoothing her hair to back. "At least come and lay down to stay more comfortable." He could see how exhausted she was and he felt too pity to let her tormenting herself like that.

Sandy was indeed too exhausted, so she agreed to lay down on his arms. Derek brought her again lying as a baby and slowly he started rocking her. From the moment she found the comfort of her father's arms, Sandy closed her eyes and sounded asleep.

Derek smiled looking at her and at the adorable way that she was holding her sister's doll to her chest.

The minutes seemed incredibly slow for Derek at that hour and the waiting became more and more hard to stand. Watching Sandy sleeping, Derek got an idea. He made himself comfortable in that chair and carefully holding Sandy in his arms he closed his eyes, hoping that a nap would make the time pass faster.

When he felt a weight lifting from him and the warmth that had covered him for the last minutes, Derek stirred and woke up. He saw his mother holding the sleeping Sandy, shaking her head at him. Derek jumped up on his feet smiling and ignoring her disapproving look. He could see her happy so he knew that Jessie met the outside world. "How are they?" Derek asked her in a hush impatiently to see or at least hear the good news.

"How can you sleep in a moment like this?" Helen delayed the news he wanted to hear, purposely to punish him for his nap. Although, she didn't know that Derek was napping only for a few minutes when she came to them.

"Mom" Derek whined annoyed to see her playing with his nerves. "How are Meredith and the baby?"

"They are perfectly healthy, Derek!" Helen smiled brightly and she couldn't longer hide the tears happiness from her eyes. "I can't believe that I just saw for the first time one of my grandchildren coming to this world."

Derek had tears of happiness in his eyes also and gave a small hug to his mother. "Where are they?"

"They are taking them back to Meredith's room. Christina will come and tell you when you can go." Helen answered and set down on the chair beside Derek.

"How is the baby?" Derek asked curious to find out as much as possible about Jessie.

"She is so beautiful, Derek! She was born at 12:06 a.m., she weights 6 pounds and 22 oz, she has blonde hair, I haven't seen the color of her eyes yet, she is tiny and … gorgeous!" Helen was in love already with her newest granddaughter.

Derek could not wipe the huge smile from his while he listened careful everything that his mother was telling him about Jessie. "Is Meredith still mad of me?" Now that was something that managed to make his smile smaller.

Helen laughed and shook her head. "She is no longer mad of you." She answered. "She knows Sandy and I am sure that she appreciates that you didn't leave her alone. We know how much you wanted to be in there with her."

Derek nodded smiling. He was happy that Christina hadn't told anyone about the chance he had to go back to Meredith and he refused to do it… or at least, that was what he thought.

"I knew you are a coward exactly like your father." Helen finally hit him with irony. "Each time I got pregnant, he swore that he would be there with me in the delivery room, but when the time came, he always found an excuse." She smiled shaking her head disappointed to see her son like his father.

"She told you." Derek smiled at her.

Helen giggled and shook her head.

"Thank you for being there with her, mom!" Derek thanked her gratefully.

"And I should thank to Sandy." Helen smiled looking down at the sleeping girl and continued to rock her slowly.

A few minutes later, Christina came to them. "Ok, you can go now!" She told Derek.

Derek jumped up on his feet right away and leaned down to Helen to take Sandy.

"What are you doing, Derek? Let her sleep!" Helen kept Sandy away from Derek, when she saw him ready to take her.

"Mom, I promised her."

"Derek, she is finally sleeping. She can see them in the morning."

"Mom" Derek was determined to keep his promise to Sandy. "She won't forgive me if I don't take her to see Meredith and Jessie now."

"No, she will, Derek!" Helen smiled at his silly ideas.

"Mom" Derek demanded her again, very serious this time. "She stayed up until earlier; she fought with the sleep, just to see her sister as soon as she comes out."

Helen smiled and stood up to move Sandy from her to Derek.

Derek picked her up and held her in his arms. "Sandy sweetie." Derek whispered softly to her ear and slowly patting her back.

Sandy rubbed her face sleepy on Derek's shoulder, but stayed asleep.

"Wake up, sweetie!" Derek whispered again. "Let's see Jessie!"

As he said the magic word, Sandy opened her eyes slowly and looked at Derek. When she met his big smile, Sandy copied it and knew that her sister was there now.

Derek chuckled and kissed her. "Are you coming with us, mom?" Derek asked Helen.

"No; you need to be alone now! I will just wait to take Sandy home."

"Uh… I think we are going to keep her with us at hospital this night" Derek let her know that he would like to have the whole family there with him.

"Ok" Helen smiled and kissed him and then she gave a kiss to Sandy too. "I will see you in the morning! I need some sleep, because in a few hours I am going to take your father from airport."

"Thanks mom!"

Helen smiled and gave one more kiss to Sandy.

Christina took them to Meredith's room and then she left to give them some time alone.

When Derek opened the door with Sandy in his arms, they saw Meredith up cradling the small baby to her chest.

Meredith saw the door opening and looking up at it, she saw her missing family members. "Hey" she greeted them in whisper. "Look Jessie, these are your daddy and your big sister!" Meredith lifted the sleeping baby to them.

Derek walked over to her bed and put Sandy down on it, before he leaned down to Meredith and kissed her. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Meredith kissed him back and held the eye contact for a longer time. Their eyes were glowing of happiness and the more they were looking and smiling into each other's eyes, the more their eyes were tearing.

Derek broke their gaze when he looked down at the tiny baby who was comfortably sleeping in its white puffy baby clothes in Meredith's arms. "Hey sweetie!" He whispered down to her and slowly picked Jessie up from her mother. He brought her in his arms slowly rocking her and gently touching her little warm hand. He was officially madly in love with her.

From the moment that Derek put her down on bed, Sandy crawled closer to Meredith to see the baby and struggled to see it better; but then, Derek picked the baby up and she lost it from her view.

"How are you sweetie?" Meredith asked her. She laughed when she saw how nervous she was because she could not see her sister.

"I want to see her." Sandy whined standing up on bed to reach at Derek's level. She pulled his arms lower to have a closer look. She giggled when she had her first perfect view to her sister. "Bring her down!" She begged Derek as she set down on bed.

Derek smiled and took a seat beside Meredith.

Sandy crawled to them again and stopped on Derek's legs. She kneeled on them and now she could have her sister in front of her. Sandy smiled sweetly at her and then she grinned at Derek and Meredith. She just could not take her eyes away from her little sister so she lowered her face to her and whispered, "Hello, Jessie!" then she placed a gentle kiss on Jessie's small forehead and held out the baby doll; she was ready now to give it to its owner. Meredith took the doll for Jessie and put it between her and Derek. "She will hold it in her crib, ok?" Sandy nodded and then she leaned over her sister again. She looked at her with amazed eyes and she gently touched Jessie's body with the same amazement.

"Would you like to hold her too?" Derek asked her.

Sandy got some huge eyes and nodded in excitement.

"Come here!" Meredith brought her to her and leaned her back on her. Then she opened Sandy's arms to show her how to receive the baby and held her own arms under hers for more support.

Derek put Jessie on Sandy's arms and kissed her again, before he pulled his arm out and kissed Sandy too.

"She is heavy." Sandy giggled at them. A few minutes ago, she was looking so exhausted, but now she looked more awak than ever. "And she is moving." She squealed happy when Jessie moved her body and hands.

"Shh" Derek made her a sign to keep her voice down.

Sandy nodded understanding and then she looked again at her sister. She could not help not to let out another giggle when Jessie started fussing in her arms.

Having her arms under Sandy's, Meredith rocked them slowly to calm her down. "Of course she is moving." She whispered to Sandy's ear. "She is a real baby, not a baby doll!"

Sandy looked back at her smiling. "I like her."

"And she likes you too." Meredith kissed her forehead.

"How are you feeling, Mer?" Derek leaned to her and kissed her before he asked her that.

"Exhausted." Meredith smiled brightly at him. "But happy."

Derek looked lovingly into her eyes and smiled. "I am so sorry!"

Meredith giggled and shook her head. "We'll talk about this some other time."

"I promise, the next time I will be there with you. Sandy will be older, she already has a sister, so … I will be there." He promised sincerely.

Meredith rolled her eyes smiling. "Sure." She replied and kissed him quickly. "But this was your last chance, because I won't let you do this to me again."

Derek knew she didn't really mean the words she said, since she had just came out after 3 hours of labor.

"She is heavy, mommy!" Sandy whined now wishing to have Jessie off her hands.

Derek chuckled and took Jessie from Sandy. "We should all go to sleep now!" He told them.

Sandy laid down beside Meredith without taking her eyes from Derek. She followed his movements constantly. "Don't put her in crib!" She begged him when she saw him taking the baby to crib. "Put her down here." She said patting the small space left on Meredith's bed. "You will see her later." Derek told her and put Jessie down in her crib.

Sandy came up on her knees. "I didn't kiss her goodnight!" She was definitely not ready for a break up.

Because Derek had put Jessie already in crib, when Sandy said that, Meredith took Jessie's doll and gave it to her. "Hold her doll."

Sandy looked at her disappointed but she took the doll. She gave it a hug and a kiss and then she handed it to Derek. "Put it to sleep with Jessie."

Derek smiled touched by her sweet gesture and took the doll from her. He put the doll in crib and then he returned to his other girls. "Lay down and sleep now!" He told Sandy as he tucked her in beside Meredith. He kissed her and then he leaned over to kiss his half-asleep wife. "I love you both!"

"And Jessie" Sandy corrected him.

"I love my girls." Derek corrected himself and kissed Sandy again.

By the time that Derek gave Sandy the last kiss, Meredith was already asleep and Sandy followed her mother to the dreamland in a few seconds.

Derek stayed by their bed for a few more minutes watching them sleeping together and then he went to admire his newest girl again. He picked her up slowly and held her tight to her chest. He could have held her like that forever, but he knew that he could need some sleep too, same as his girls. Derek put Jessie back down in her crib and tucked the blanked around her.

Derek found a comfortable spot on the small couch from Meredith's hospital room; with his view over the crib and Meredith's bed, he drifted off to sleep.

-------------------------

Jessica's first cry made everyone stir and wake up hours later. Derek stood up fast and went to pick her up while Meredith and Sandy woke up and stood up in their sit up positions. Meredith turned on the light and she was ready to receive her daughter.

"Why is crying?" Sandy got lines of worry on her forehead hearing Jessica's strong cry.

"She must be hungry." Meredith explained and held out her hands to take Jessie from Derek.

Bringing her to her chest, Derek untied Meredith's hospital gown and helped her reveal a breast. "Do you think you can do it?" Derek asked her since that was her first breast-feeding.

"Of course I can do it!" Meredith smiled knowingly at him. "We will figure out how to do it."

"I know" Derek chuckled. "You are smart girls." He complimented them and set down beside them to see Jessie taking mother's nipple in her mouth as if she had done it millions of times before.

"She's eating milk." Sandy stated knowingly, watching how her sister was sucking from Meredith's breast. Sandy proved to be like a sponge to all the information she wanted to know. The baby topic was the main topic and the most important for Sandy in the past months and everyone could see how many she learned about babies. She knew now almost as much as Meredith and any other mother knew… except for the conceiving of babies and all the methods to bring the baby out of their mommies' tummies. Now Sandy had knowledge about how a baby is fed at its mother's breast or why it needs to be burped, about how much they cry or about changing the diapers. But Sandy was still a child, so not everything was clear for her; therefore, she put the cute question "Does she bite you?" She asked Meredith wincing at that thought.

Meredith laughed and answered with a nod from her head. "Don't you remember what I told you? She doesn't have teeth." Meredith explained for her.

"She is toothless." Sandy got her own conclusion.

"That's right!" Meredith answered.

Sandy continued to stay beside her sister watching her eating. She took her little hand in hers playing gently with her finger. "I can't see the milk."

Derek and Meredith chuckled at her new frustration.

"The milk goes straight to her mouth." Once again, Meredith was the one who came out with the explanation.

Sandy pulled back a little and looked up at Meredith starting to bite her bottom lip. Meredith recognized her own habit and knew that Sandy wanted something. "What is it?"

Sandy stood up on her knees to reach to Meredith's ear. "I don't bite."

"What?" Meredith and Derek burst into laugh. Sandy returned down on bed hurt to see them making fun of her.

"Sweetheart, you are too big to be breast fed." Meredith tried to hold her laugh, but she could not hide her smile. She ran a hand through Sandy's messy hair. "You had your intake when you were a baby. Only small babies eat from breast."

Sandy smiled slightly at her and then she leaned against her arm and continued to watch at her sister. "Was I a pretty baby?" Sandy asked her.

"You were very beautiful." Meredith answered and kissed her forehead.

"Jessie is beautiful too." Sandy stated in admiration.

"She is." Meredith smiled at Sandy and then down at Jessie.

Derek had watched the whole interaction between his girls and what made him happy the most, was to see how much Sandy loved her new baby sister. "I am the luckiest man in the world to have three beautiful girls." He smiled widely at Meredith and kissed softly her lips. Then, he picked Sandy up from bed and brought her on his arms. He kissed her tummy and nuzzled against it causing her hysterical laughs and movements from legs. "Daddy." She called him laughing to make him stop.

Derek stopped and shifted her in his arms.

Sandy smiled at him happy and then she hung on his neck letting out a yawn.

When Jessie ended her first meal, Derek expressed his wish to burp her. With her tummy full and with her father's slow rocks, Jessie fell asleep instantly. Right after her, Meredith and Sandy returned to their places in bed, while Derek made himself comfortable back on couch.

Hours later, while the sun was up on sky for a few hours already, Derek heard Jessie's quiet whimper and woke up to check on her, but when Derek opened his eyes, he saw his mother beside the crib with her back to Derek and the presence of somebody else. "Mom?" he whispered and stood up.

When Helen turned around to him, Derek saw his father holding Jessie in his arms.

"I am so sorry, Derek!" Helen whispered prudent not to wake Meredith and Sandy. "I tried to keep him out until you will all wake up."

"It's ok, mom!" Derek rubbed his face to banish the sleep and massaging his neck, he went to his father. "Hey dad!" He greeted them while he leaned down to kiss his awake daughter.

"Congratulations, son!" but at David's congratulation, Derek stayed quiet staring in awe at Jessie. For the first time, he could see the color of her eyes. She had the same color as his eyes. "She is going to still many hearts from boys." David chuckled admiring his granddaughter. Now that was something that brought Derek back from his daze and made him grin at his father as approval.

Their whispers started wake up the other girls. Meredith opened her eyes slowly and through her blurry vision, she could recognize David. "Morning" She whispered thinking that Sandy might still be asleep.

Derek turned around to her and leaning to her, he kissed her. "Morning, babe!" Meredith answered him with a soft kiss grinning of happiness against his lips.

"We're sorry! we didn't mean to wake you up!" David gestured to Derek to move over and took his place beside the bed. "Congratulations sweetie!" Same as Derek, David kissed her lovingly on forehead holding carefully the baby. "She is beautiful."

"She is" Meredith agreed without taking her eyes from her daughter. "She opened her eyes." She gasped amazed when she saw Jessie awake.

"And she has daddy's eyes." Derek bragged.

Sandy stirred awake in the same time with Meredith, but having an interrupted sleep, she was too lazy to open her eyes. Now that everyone was talking about her sister again, she could not be absent from their talk, so she started rubbing her eyes intensively to help her eyes open. "She is our baby." She muttered while she started to get in the sit up position.

Everyone laughed when they heard her and David gave Jessie to her mother. Then, he picked Sandy up. "She is all yours, Sandy!" David chuckled at her cute sleepy face and placed a few kisses on her cheeks.

Sandy didn't know who was in there with them, but when she heard her grandpa, her eyes grew wide of happiness. "Grandpa" She squealed and jumped on his neck to hug him.

"I missed you, sweetie!" David hugged her tightly rubbing gently her back.

"Do you like our baby?" Sandy pulled back from his neck to point back to her sister.

"Of course I like your baby! I love your baby!" David answered smiling.

"She is very noisy." Sandy informed him, remembering the first cry she had heard during the night.

"But you still love her, don't you?" David asked her.

Sandy nodded firmly "I do"

"Hey Sandy, I brought you something from home." Helen told her as she started to search through her bag and took out Sandy's camera photo. "I thought that you would want to have this."

Sandy gasped excited as she remembered it. "Yes" She held out her hands to take it from Helen.

Once that Sandy took that camera a real photo shooting started, with Jessica as main model, of course.

They were all gathered around the bed watching how Sandy was holding Jessie again giggling each time her sister was doing a sudden move, when there was a knock on door and someone pushed it open. Addison was the first one who came in wheeled by Mark.

"Is there any place left for me?" She asked while Mark wheeled her to Meredith's bed.

"Look Addie!" Sandy showed her the baby, trying to hold her upper so that Addison could see her better. Derek left Meredith's side in bed and helped Addison to sit down on it.

"She is beautiful, Meredith!" Addison leaned over Sandy's shoulder to have a closer look over the baby. "Hey sweetie! Aww …. She has blue eyes."

"She is our baby." Sandy needed to mention that again as if she wanted to let everyone know that nobody was allowed to claim her.

"Of course she is yours." Addison found cute how found Sandy was with her sister already. "But do you think that I can hold her?"

Sandy nodded and Addison helped her free her hands from Jessie's weight.

Mark gave a hug to Derek and a kiss to Meredith before he "congratulated" Sandy. "This is not your baby." He joked gently running his finger over Jessie's cheek.

Everyone else but Sandy knew that Mark was joking. Sandy looked at him with shocked eyes and shook her head. "No, she is ours!"

"They confused the babies, Addie!" Mark stated involving Addison in his joke. "This is our baby. This is Josh." He stated very serious looking at Jessie and then at Sandy. A discreet showed in the corner of his mouth when he saw the panic from Sandy's face. Addison glared him for the worry he had brought on Sandy's face, but Mark gave her wink to let him go on.

Sandy looked down at her sister, analyzing her face. Mark had succeeded to bring a doubt in Sandy's mind. "Mommy?" Sandy looked at Meredith confused hoping that she would help her. Not only Mark was having fun in that moment, Meredith was also amused to see the doubt from her daughter's head and wanting to see if Mark would trick her, Meredith looked with the same confusion as Sandy's and shrugged.

Sandy looked down at Jessie and watching her careful again, she frowned and looked up at Mark. "She is our baby." She muttered and shot him a glare.

Mark shook his head. "How can you confuse your sister with a boy? Look at him careful; it's Josh."

"She wears pink, you see? Girls wears pink not boys." Sandy replied more confident this time about the identity of the baby, which Addison was holding and showed him the pink hat from Jessie's head.

"You changed his clothes and dressed him in pink." Mark was not ready to give up on his joke.

Sandy frowned when she heard him and snapped at him. "Your baby is ugly and ours is pretty."

Seeing Sandy's burst, Addison slapped Mark's hand to stop. "That's enough, Mark! Don't worry Sandy, he is just making fun of you!" Addison assured her with a warming smile.

Nervous, Sandy stuck out her tongue at Mark, gesture copied by Mark also.

"Helen, I heard that you were in the delivery room with Meredith." Addison stated looking up at Helen.

"Oh yes." Helen confirmed and thrill and excitement of that day returned on her face lighting it with a glamorous smile. "It was like I was giving birth to my own baby." Helen stated now discreetly tearing of happiness as she looked at Meredith and put her arm around Derek.

"Thank you for being there with me, Helen!" Meredith smiled sincerely and as touched as Helen. "It meant a lot to me."

Helen came over to her bedside and gave her small hug. "It was my pleasure, sweetie!" After so many months since they first met, Helen and Meredith reached to a truly mother & daughter relationship.

"Man, even I had the courage to be with Addison." Mark laughed mocking Derek. "Although, I had never heard so many curses addressed to me until yesterday." Mark laughed at Addison.

"Well you deserved them." Addison smiled proudly at him.

"Anyway, I am still luckiest dad these days." Mark bragged proudly.

"Oh is it so? And may I ask why?" Derek asked him.

"Because I won't live terrified that my daughter might come pregnant one day."

That made Derek's blood boil. "I am not worried, because I am going to make sure that I will teach my daughters how to protect themselves from men like Mark Sloan… and maybe his son."

"Don't worry, Derek! I am going to make sure that also my son won't become a Mark Sloan." Addison assured him.

They stayed there and chat more about their babies, about baby Derek and many memories found their way back to light. All these, until Jessie started fussing in Addison arms, ready to take her meal. When Addison wanted to take Sandy with her to see the baby, they noticed that Sandy wasn't in there with them anymore.

"I will go find her." Derek groaned when he saw her disappearance. They were rather annoyed by her elopement than worried, because they were already knew were they would find her… with her friends, the nurses.

"I will come with you!" David followed Derek outside, leaving Meredith with Helen to feed Jessie.

Walking down the hall, Derek and David saw a few nurses and residents gathered around the nurses' station and they smiled at each other, knowing around what, or better… around whom, they had gathered. Stopping behind them, Derek cleared his throat and the peopled turned around, and cleared his way to counter were Sandy was sitting with camera in hands showing everyone photos with her sister.

"What are you doing here, Sandy?" Derek asked her with a grave voice to make her see that he wasn't happy with what she did.

Sandy smiled guilty. "I am showing them photos with Jessie."

Derek shook his head and came over to her. "But why did you have to go without telling us?"

"I was bored." Sandy whined. Indeed, with all the people from Meredith's room, Sandy had been left outside and unable even to see her sister.

"You should have told us, Sandy." Derek twitted her.

"I am sorry." Sandy looked down and muttered with guilt.

"We were going to bring her back, Dr. Shepherd." One of the nurses interfered. When Derek came to them, most of the residents and nurses left, so now there were just three nurses. "But we wanted to see the baby."

"Congratulations, Dr. Shepherd!" Another nurse said followed immediately by the other two also.

"Thank you!" Derek smiled politely and then took Sandy in his arms.

The nurses had left and Derek and David had turned around to get back to Meredith when they ran into Burke.

"Shepherd, was your daughter walking around the hospital unsupervised?... Again?" He asked him.

"Sorry" Derek just smiled, not scared with Burke's glares being already used with that.

"Mr. Chief." Sandy called him and held out the camera for him to take it. "This is our baby." She stated proudly. She was also used with the twits from Burke, because that wasn't the first time when Burke caught her or found out about her walks through hospital.

Burke smiled amused at his new nickname. Sandy didn't like his name too much, so for her he was Mr. Chief and not Mr. Burke. He took the camera and looked at some of those photos. "She is beautiful, Derek! Congratulations!" He said smiling sincerely at Derek.

"Thank you!" Derek smiled back proudly.

"You should have been with your sister looking after her and not walking on hallways." Burke smiled at Sandy and gave her the camera back. "Congratulations to you too, Mr. Shepherd!" Burke smiled at David and walked away.

"Ok, let's see if Jessie has finished eating and then we'll have some breakfast." Derek put Sandy down as he said that.

"Up. I want up!" Sandy tugged him by his shirt to take her back in arms.

"Don't you think you are a little too big to be carried in arms?" Derek asked her and of course, Sandy shook her head smiling. Derek rolled his eyes, but refused to take her up. Instead, he gave her his hand to walk with him.

"Please!" Sandy pleaded him nicely.

"No" Derek shook his head firmly. "Besides, you know that running away from us is bad so you need a punishment."

Sandy knew that, so she sighed resigned waiting for his punishment.

"You are going home with grandma and grandpa tonight!" Derek gave her the sentence.

"No" Sandy protested as she tried to jerk her hand from Derek, but Derek had anticipated her reaction and held her tighter.

"Sandy this is a hospital and you can't sleep here. We let you sleep last night because you wanted to be with your sister, but tonight you will have to sleep in your bed."

"No" Sandy muttered nervous.

"And I don't want to hear any protest." Derek stated firmly.

"I bought some gifts for you and for you sister." David came in Derek's help. "I am going to need some help to unwrap them and put Jessie's in her room."

"I will help." David didn't have to say more, because Sandy offered her help gladly.

17


	27. We are done

**How can a knock out change your life**

**Chapter 27 – We are done**

The last few days had been so sunny and warm, perfect just to stay home and enjoy the weather. Unfortunately for the Shepherd family, they could not afford the time to miss from work and enjoy of the great weather that the summer had started to offer them. However, today, they decided to have the afternoon only for them.

Meredith was lucky so before lunchtime, she pulled the car in front of their house. She stopped the ignition and from her seat, she looked outside on window at the beautiful view that the sun was offering over their house. She giggled at the time she would have with her family and got out of car. Shutting the door, Meredith's steps headed down the alley, towards the front door.

She took out her keys and locked it. Pushing it open, Meredith heard shouts coming from upstairs. She easily recognized Sandy's voice and the nanny's.

"Sandy, please don't clutter the whole closet or you will be the one who will clean the mess. Are we clear?" The nanny shouted at her from somewhere down the hall upstairs.

"Ok, ok" Sandy threw her an indifferent answer with the rush to get rid of her.

"Ok, ok." The nanny shouted back with sarcasm. "And you will get in trouble." She warned her.

Meredith smiled and shook her head. Sandy was a good child, but sometimes she just loved to act like a brat, especially with people from which she knew that she wouldn't receive more than a twit.

Hearing nanny's footsteps heading downstairs, Meredith came at the stair's bottom to greet her.

"Meredith" A brunette woman, in her early 30s, gasped when she reached at the middle of the stairs and saw the unexpected appearance. The infant she was carrying on her hip squealed and clapped her hands with joy when she saw her mommy. Little Jessie was now 9 months old; a beautiful doll with blonde medium curls and big blue eyes. "I am sorry; I didn't hear you coming in." The nanny smiled and hurried down the stairs to get to her and let Jessie go to her mother.

"Hi, Rose! I am sorry… I didn't mean to scare you." Meredith said as she took the girl from her. "Hey baby." Meredith lifted Jessie and kissed her tummy, earning giggles of joy from her. "Are you going to swimming pool?" Meredith asked her after she saw Jessie wearing a diaper and her bathrobe.

"Yes." Rose answered. "The weather is perfect, Sandy behaved nice and I couldn't say no when she asked me nicely."

Meredith smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You are home early." Rose stated noticed her early arrival home.

"My last surgery was canceled; the patient coded before the surgery and we lost him." Meredith stated with regret.

"Oh" Rose nodded with sympathy. "Should I stay now that you are home?" She asked her returning to their matters.

"No; you can go home. Take Timothy out or just enjoy the afternoon." Meredith suggested.

"I'd love to take him out, but now he says he is too big to go out with his mom." Rose laughed referring at her 9 years old son.

Helen and David stayed for one more month after Jessica's birthday to help them get used with the baby and all the activities they needed to get used. During her stay, Helen also helped Meredith to find a nanny for Sandy and Jessie for the time when she would need to get back to work. They called at different agencies until they found Rose. Rose was also mother of a boy, married with a police officer. One month before returning at work, Meredith called Rose to start the job, taking her chance like that to know her better. Sandy liked her from the first time and Jessie slowly started to be comfortable with the new person from her life.

"Bribe him with an ice cream or something like this." Meredith gave her a solution.

Rose laughed and shook her head. "I'll try to find something, but I am almost sure that his father provided him with everything."

"You can stay with us if you want."

"No. Thank you, but no! I know you are looking for a family time, so I will go and enjoy by myself." Rose stated rejecting politely Meredith's offer.

"Ok" Meredith nodded and agreed with her. "So let me guess… she is looking for a swim suit?" Meredith asked her motioning her to Sandy, who was still upstairs.

Rose confirmed with a nod and a knowingly smile. "I think I am going to leave now."

"Sandy, come downstairs! Rose is leaving." Meredith shouted to make herself heard by Sandy.

"Bye Rose!" Sandy's answer came as hurried as earlier.

"Sandy, don't be rude and come downstairs to say goodbye!" Meredith shouted commending.

"Mommy, I am naked!"

Rose and Meredith burst into laugh.

"Sandy, this wouldn't be for the first time when we see you naked, so come downstairs now!" Meredith shouted at her again.

"Mommy" Sandy protested with a whining tone. This was her newest change… she was refusing to show up naked in front of Derek or in front of other men or unknown person. She was 6 years old now and she already started to need privacy, which thing didn't make Derek very happy.

"I'll go gather my things in the meantime." Rose stated and went to take her things.

"Hurry up, Sandy!" Meredith gave her one more announcement.

"O…k" Sandy struggled an answer, causing a giggle to Meredith, who guessed what Sandy was doing in that moment. Jessie giggled also at her mother's giggle and at all the shouts and commotion around.

"What's so funny?" Meredith asked her with a baby voice and kissed her. She went in living room and sat down on couch with Jessie on her knees. "Are you exciting to go and swim?" Meredith started talking with Jessie tickling her tummy for her amusement.

In response, Jessie was slapping her lightly with her little hands while she started prattling something in her own language. Meredith stopped with the tickles and gave her a kiss before she picked her up again. "Why don't we go and see if we have everything we need by the swimming pool?"

Heading towards the sliding door in her mother's arms, Jessie started fussing looking back over Meredith's shoulder. Because her mother didn't pay too much attention to her fussiness, Jessie slowly started crying.

"What's wrong, baby?" Meredith stopped before she could open the door and looked at Jessie, who was now whimpering still looking back. Meredith turned around to see what was causing her the fussiness, but nothing relevant caught her attention. "Don't you want to go and have fun in water?" Meredith asked her and kissed her.

As if she understood her mother's question, Jessie stopped with the whimpering and pointed with her finger towards hallway. "What's there?" Meredith asked her curios and started walking back. Then they heard Sandy shouting: "I am coming!" announcing her hurried arrival and Jessie squealed and clapped from her hands with joy.

Meredith watched Jessie's reaction with shock. "Is this why you didn't want to go outside with me?" She asked her infant. Meredith laughed kissing her cheeks, while Jessie was all a joy with her mother's giggles and kisses.

In a hurry, Sandy jumped the last two staircases and stopped beside her mother. "I am ready, mommy." She grinned proudly up at her. She had gathered her hair into a very messy bum and put on her white swimming suit.

"Ok, then we have to say goodbye to Rose and then I will get ready too." At her mother's announcement, Sandy frowned.

"Why aren't you ready?"

Meredith gave her a disapproving glare. "Please watch your attitude, missy!" she warned her very serious showing her this way that she would not tolerate her small rudeness. "You know I just got back home and I didn't have time to get ready."

Sandy looked down on floor guilty as she muttered, "I am sorry!"

Meredith shook her head and smiled at her. "Now give me a welcome kiss and hug." She told her kneeling down at her level.

Sandy jumped on her neck and kissed her sweetly. "Where is Rose?" she asked her after she pulled back from Meredith's arm.

"She is getting ready to leave." Meredith told her and stood up carefully placing Jessie back on her hip.

Right in that moment, Rose came out on hallway ready to leave. "I am glad to see that I can tell you goodbye before I go." Rose stated with sarcasm as she smiled down at Sandy.

Sandy couldn't read the sarcasm hided behind Rose's smile, so she just giggle and ran to her. She held up her arms for Rose to come down for a hug and kiss.

"Have fun sweetie and behave yourself!" Rose kissed her back before she stood up.

"I will." Sandy answered with a happy giggle.

Rose took her goodbye from Jessie and Meredith as well and everybody walked her to her car.

Returning in house, Meredith took Jessie in living room and put her down on couch. "Ok Sandy, I am going upstairs to put a swimming suit on, so I want you to watch Jessie."

"Ok, mommy." Sandy agreed and jumped up on couch to sit down beside her sister.

"Do not go outside alone or with Jessie. Wait for me here, ok?" Meredith told her into a very serious manner.

"Ok, mommy, but please hurry up!"

Meredith smiled and winked "I will be down in a minute."

Meredith went upstairs and changed into her swimming suit. She hurried to get downstairs because not only Sandy was impatiently waiting for her, but also because she loved the sunny weather and she could not wait to see herself in water.

When Meredith returned to her girls, she burst into laugh at the scene in front of her. Sandy was trying to fix on Jessica's face her water mask. Jessica was struggling between giggles to push Sandy's hands away from her, while Sandy was struggling to make her stay still.

"Do you like to torture your sister, Sandy?" Meredith asked her laughing.

Sandy grinned up at her without stopping her fight with Jessica. "I want to see how she looks like."

Meredith laughed shaking her head and walked over to them. "Give me these and stop making your sister."

"No" Sandy cried out and walked in front of Meredith to block her way. "I'll take it off" She said giggling and pulled the mask off from Jessica's face.

Jessica was having a great laugh simply watching her mother and sister laughing. As she threw her hands around her, her little hand caught Sandy's snorkel. She picked it up and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Eww, no!!!" Sandy shouted at her and hurried to take it out of her mouth and hands. "Don't put it in your mouth. It's gross, Jessie!" She told her sister, sustaining her statement with a grimace on her face.

Jessica tried to copy her gesture and with another happy giggle, she stuck her tongue out and cleaned her lips with the back of her hand.

Meredith and Sandy laughed at each other, being always surprised to see how many things Jessica was learning. In most of the times, she was copying her sister's gestures and habits. For example, when Meredith was asking Sandy to do or say anything and Sandy was refusing with a shake from her head, her sister beside her was doing the same thing as Sandy, although she wasn't sure of what she was doing and why.

"Ok now… it's time to check the water!" Meredith announced as she took Jessica up.

With a squeal, in less than a second, Sandy was outside. Meredith had just made her first step outside the house when Sandy jumped in water making a big splash. Jessica started fussing in Meredith's arms wishing to join the fun as soon as possible.

"Ok sweetie… relax." Meredith laughed and laid Jessica down on a lounge chair to take off her diaper and apply her sunscreen. "Sandy, come here to give you the sunscreen!" Meredith called to come from water.

By the time that Meredith settled Jessica down and took off her diaper, Sandy had already made a tour of pool. She came at the edge of it and hung on it to talk to her mother. "I don't need sunscreen." She told her brushing the water from her eyes and face.

"Sandy" Meredith simply called her name letting her that she would better come.

"Mommy" Sandy whined and let the edge of the pool go to return to her swimming.

Jessie wasn't enjoying so much the great outdoor since her mother was forcing her stay still while her sister was getting all the fun.

"Sandy" Meredith copied her voice with sarcasm. "Come here and help me get Jessie ready."

Sandy saw her sister crying, so reluctantly got out of the pool. She came running to them and stopped beside Meredith. She started shaking off the water from hair and body sending small drops on Meredith and Jessie.

Jessica started squealing enjoying the cold drops and her sister's presence. "Go and take a towel to dry yourself and then come to give you the sunscreen." Meredith told her as she lifted Jessie up on her sit. Then she saw Sandy's discontent face. Meredith smiled at her and with one hand she turned her around to go and take a towel out of the cabinet they had not far from pool. "It's waterproof so you can get back in water after that." Meredith told her guessing the reason of her grumpiness.

While Sandy poured her sunscreen on her body, Meredith did the same thing with hers. Then everyone was ready to enjoy the perfect water. Meredith held Jessie in her arms while she climbed down the few staircases down in pool and made a diving to get used with the temperature.

Sandy, on the other hand, didn't have troubles with the contact of cold water, so came running to its edge and made a big leap in water. A big splash covered Meredith and Jessie with water while Sandy was making her way to bottom. Sandy returned at surface throwing the water off her face. "Did you see that, mommy? That was the strongest I did by now." She bragged proud of her succeed.

Meredith laughed and nodded. "We saw it and we felt it, sweetie."

Sandy grinned proudly and took her mask and snorkel for some diving. While Sandy was fixing her equipment, Meredith helped Jessie swim by holding an arm under her stomach. By the age of 9 months, Jessica had learned how to swim; therefore, they were often let her play in swimming pool with her sister, of course under the close supervision of a grown up. Meredith held her like that for a while and then she brought Jessie to her chest and laid to start floating on back with the girl on her chest. Jessie lay down on Meredith with her head down on her chest enjoying the great sensation of floating. Both, Meredith and Jessie, seemed to enjoy the pleasant moment, but that was soon ruined by Sandy sudden appearance from under water. Jessica stirred up scared and started crying; she wasn't only scared by the sudden appearance of her sister, but also by her scary look with that mask on her face and snorkel in her mouth.

Meredith regained her balance as she returned on her feet and caught Jessie in time from falling in water. Meredith shook her head smiling at Sandy's little joke and gave her light poke on head. Sandy took off the snorkel and the mask and laughed very proud of her act. "That was very funny, sweetie!" Meredith smiled with sarcasm.

She hung on Meredith's arm and jumped to give a quick kiss to her sister. Jessie calmed down when she recognized her sister and leaned down to slap her head.

"See? Even she found that silly." Meredith laughed after she saw Sandy gaining two slaps from her and Jessica.

"That was fun." Sandy laughed. She was used to receive this kind of small hits during their play, but knew that all was just for fun so she never got scared or upset. Sandy put the mask and the snorkel back on and instantly she disappeared under water. Jessie's eyes followed her everywhere and now she was trying to see her through water. She started fussing as it became harder for her to catch her sister with her eyes and leaned down over Meredith's arm to be put down. In the same time, Sandy got at Meredith's legs playing with Meredith and Jessica as if she was attacking them. "Is that a shark?" Meredith shouted acting scared while she was shaking her leg to make Sandy go.

Jessica started giggling when she saw the image of her sister under water and at Meredith's laughs and shouts, she squealed with joy.

Sandy jumped outside and taking out the snorkel, showed threatening her teeth. "I am shark." She warned them grinning. She faked at bite to Meredith's arm for Jessica enjoyment.

They spent almost a whole hour in water, splashing it into each other, swimming and floating. Only when they felt powerless, they decided to get out of the pool and have a break.

Meredith wrapped herself into a large towel and put the bathrobe back on Jessica, while Sandy started shaking from her head and body to wipe the excess of water. Meredith laid down on a lounge chair, holding Jessica on her abdomen and Sandy laid down on the one next to Meredith. Now, for the first time since Meredith got back home from work, they had the chance to talk about how their day went at home. As usual, Sandy gave her a complete report over what hour she and Jessica woke up, what they ate for breakfast, what they played with Rose and of course, she skipped over the parts where she did something she should have done.

"Can I have a soda, mommy?" Sandy asked her. All the energy she consumed in water and now the sun she was exposing at drained her withed her.

"Sure, but don't take a big doze, because we'll have lunch soon." Meredith told her.

Sandy nodded in agreement and ran fast to take the drink. Meredith watched her until she disappeared inside the house and then she looked back at Jessie. "Are you sleepy, sweetie?" She asked her when she saw Jessie hardly keeping her position straight. Meredith brought her down to her chest and the girl cradled in her mother's arms. "I guess we had enough sun." Meredith said to herself after she saw Jessica taking her position for sleeping. She stood up and then she heard Sandy coming back outside talking to someone.

As Sandy walked outside in the backyard, Meredith saw her talking on mobile phone with someone.

"I did, daddy." Sandy giggled and Meredith guessed that Derek asked her about the time she had in water. "Here is mommy." Sandy told Derek when she reached at Meredith's side. "And hurry up, daddy! Love you, bye!" She said in a hurry and without giving Derek the chance to reply, she handed the phone to Meredith. "Here mommy, it's daddy! I brought water for Jessie." She said showing her a bottle of water.

"Is it cold?" Meredith asked her as she took the phone from her.

"No" Sandy answered with a shake from head. She already knew what Jessie was allowed to have and what not.

"Go to Sandy, sweetie!" Meredith put Jessie back down on the lounge chair and let Sandy sit down with her. "Hey daddy!" Meredith was now ready to talk to her husband.

"Hi mommy! I guess that I am missing all the fun, ain't I?" He asked her with a chuckle; he tried to show a good mood, but Meredith could feel him regretting he wasn't there with them.

"Yeah, you are;" She giggled as she watched how Sandy was helping Jessie drink from that bottle of water. "But I think we are all tired so we'll save some for later when you will join us." She said.

Meredith heard him sighing. "What's going?" She asked him worryingly.

After another sigh, Derek spoke up. "We have the ER filled so I am not sure for how long I will be stuck in the OR."

Meredith sighed also at that news. "Does this mean that should I come too?"

"Oh no, no." Derek hurried to assure her. "I talked with Burke and I convinced him to let you stay home for the rest of the day."

In a way, Meredith was relieved to hear that, but she had to admit that she was also disappointed for not having Derek with them as they had planned. "Maybe you will get out until evening and you will be able to join us. We promised Sandy we will go in park, so I think I will take them there anyway today." Meredith told him. She knew he was disappointed because of this too, so she didn't want him to feel bad about that.

"I will do my best, baby!" Derek said back. "How's my little mermaid doing?" Derek asked her referring at Jessica.

"Oh no!" Meredith giggled when she looked over at her daughters.

"What?" Derek asked her curious.

"The little mermaid is sleeping already and the big mermaid is about to fall asleep too." Meredith said. "And neither of us ate anything for lunch."

"Let them nap for while. I don't think you have any chance to feed them right now." Derek laughed imaging how dead beat they must look. He knew how much the girls loved the water and it was common for them to fall asleep soon after they left the water.

"I guess I don't." Meredith chuckled. "I have to hang up now and take them upstairs. Take care of you!"

"Is Rose still there?" Derek asked her.

"No; I sent her home when I got home."

"Then you should take some advantage of your time off and have a nap too. Oh and give them a kiss to each of them"

"I will. I love you!" Meredith told him.

"Love you too, Mer! I will see you later."

Meredith hung up the phone and sighed as she muttered: "I hope so". Then she remembered her sleepy daughters. "Sandy" Meredith called Sandy to pay attention to her.

Sandy put her can with soda down beside the lounge chair and looked at Meredith.

"Do you want to eat something now?" Meredith asked her.

Sandy shook her head sleepy. "I want to sleep now."

Meredith smiled with sympathy. "Ok, then we should head upstairs."

Sandy answered with nod and stood up with lazy moves, while Meredith took Jessica up slowly.

**-------------------------**

Derek pulled the car in front of the park and hurried out of it happy to get there while the sun was still up on sky; that was one of the things he loved at summer; its long days. It was a beautiful evening of summer; the heat melted and the air was more breathable and relaxing.

Derek walked inside the park and felt amazed instantly by the beautiful view. For a reason, he loved that park, especially with its view on a summer sunset. After almost 12 crazy hours of work and hustle, to be present in that park and meet its peace, felt like heaven to Derek. Although there wasn't that quiet, but the laughs, the barks, the shouts, everything was more relaxing and calming than the madness from outside the park.

Derek froze in a spot as he looked around him at all the commotion. As usual, people were enjoying their free time in that perfect ambiance. It was almost 8 o'clock in the evening, but no one seemed ready to leave the park. Derek wasn't ready either.

He walked along the park's alleys breathing in the fresh air and its refreshing mood; he was excited to get to his destination as soon as possible.

When Derek found the place he was looking for, he stepped on grass and leaned against a tree. He crossed his arms against the chest and a leg across the other, while he started looking at the small groups in front of him. Some of them were talking down on grass, couples were making memories of their love, children and parents were playing with whatever toys and accessories they had.

No long time ago, he was jealous of that image. It was that time when he even grudged the dogs for having so much fun. Now, deep down, Derek knew that he was the grudged one, because he was able to enjoy his moments with his family. His own family, which was now present between those groups he was watching.

A bright smile lighted his face and brought a sparkle in his eyes as he watched them. Meredith and Jessica were lying on grass watching Sandy's performance on roller skates. Derek was amazed by Sandy's performance, in particularly for her cute look in that short jeans pants and her pink t-shirt accessorized with the black hamlet, kneecaps and elbow caps. She was very fashionable when it came about her street clothes, but when she was in park, doing sport, what she was wearing was no longer that important for her.

Derek thought that he watched enough and that he should go and join their fun. He got back on alley so that Sandy could be the first one who greets him.

"Daddy!!!" Indeed, it didn't take her long to recognize her daddy. She sped up and rolled on skates until him.

Derek caught her and picked her up right away.

"You are here!" Sandy smiled more than happy to see him and gave him the strongest hug she could.

Derek answered in the same manner, giving her the strongest hug he could. "I am finally here." He said more to himself, sighing with relief to be there with them. Derek put Sandy down, careful not to let her fall.

"Do you want to skate with me?" Sandy asked him as she took his hand and started walking slowly on roller skates.

Derek thought about it for a second, but then he shook his head smiling. "I am too tired sweetie."

Sandy shrugged indifferent. "I will ask mommy."

Derek chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Meredith watched Sandy all the time, so she saw Derek when Sandy hurried to him. She stayed there on grass waiting for him to join her.

"Hi" Derek collapsed down beside her and gave her soft kiss.

"Hi" Meredith smiled brightly. Little Jessie knew she should get a kiss or at least some attention from her daddy, so she started poke him to make him aware of that when she saw him giving all his attention to her mommy only.

"Hi baby!" Derek wasn't late to answer her request and took her from Meredith's lap. "How is my big girl doing?" He asked her as he held her up in air and then brought her back down to him to kiss her.

Meredith propped her chin on Derek's shoulder as she watched them interacting one with each other. "We swum and then we had a nap; now we were at swings and slides and now we were waiting for you." She answered for Jessie.

"That sounds like you had a great day." Derek chuckled as he tossed her in air.

Sandy resumed her walk on roller skates, but her attention and ears were on her parents' talk. She came back and stopped in front of them. "Can we go back at swings?" She asked hopefully, fixing a grin on Derek.

"Didn't you have enough fun there?" Derek asked her.

Sandy shook her head smiling. "Mommy pushed me slow as if I was a baby." She giggled cheeky avoiding her mother's glare. "She is no fun." Sandy almost whispered between giggles.

Derek laughed amused at Sandy's cute confession, but he also had to stand a furious slap from Meredith. "If she will ever break her neck, then you can be sure that I will break yours!" She threatened him very serious pointing the finger towards him.

Derek grabbed her hand and laughing, he pulled her to him "Good thing that our friends are doctors." He said joking and gave her a soft kiss. Meredith giggled and cupped his cheek to return the kiss.

"Eww!!! That's so gross!" Sandy exclaimed as she showed them once again her disgust for the grown ups' kiss. "Seriously, there are children here!" She told them as she threw her arms in air as desperation.

Meredith and Derek burst into laugh at her last statement. That was one of the things she learned from her good friend, Mark Sloan.

"Ok, no more kisses but also no more swings for you." Derek told her and Sandy stuck her tongue out at him knowing that he was teasing her.

"Let's skate, mommy!" Sandy looked begging at her mother.

Meredith nodded right away and stood up. They had brought Jessica's stroller with them, so Meredith took out her pair of roller skates from it. She sat down on a bench and put them on, while Sandy was waiting for her and Derek was playing with Jessie on grass. "I am ready." Meredith stated getting up on her feet.

"You didn't put the hamlet on, mommy!" Sandy made her aware of that. She knew how important the hamlet was, so she wanted to make sure that her mommy wouldn't forget it.

"I don't need a hamlet." Meredith said. "I am big girl and I can skate really well now."

"Take the hamlet, Meredith!" Derek commanded as he overheard the talk between Meredith and Sandy.

"You play nice with Jessie." Meredith ignored his comment and held out the hand for Sandy. "Let's go, Sandy!"

Sandy took it and they started to skate together very slow. During the last months, Meredith learned to skate very well; she had no fear of walking alone or get speed anymore. "Let's race!" Meredith challenged Sandy.

Sandy grinned knowingly. She loved their racing because she always was winning them.

Meredith was very competitive and took each race very serious. She never let Sandy win on purpose. She always tried to give her best and win.

With Jessica on his lap, Derek watched how stubborn and childish Meredith was acting. Both of them had speed and both of them looked very sure of them and determined to win. For the first time, Meredith managed to get in front of Sandy and keep a widely distance between them.

"Who is going to win this one, huh Sandy?" Meredith stopped and the skates roll her and lower their speed while she smirked back at Sandy, who was now stopped far behind her.

"Mommy!!"

"Meredith!!"

Derek and Sandy shouted at her when they saw the obstacle she was heading to.

Meredith reacted slower and by the time she looked ahead, she already felt bumping into something. Loosing her balance and being panicked, Meredith could not regain the control of her feet and found herself falling down over someone.

As she hit the ground and realized what happened, Meredith saw she had hit into a man. "Oh my God!" She tried to stand up apologizing for the accident. She didn't even feel the scratch she got on her knees and the right elbow.

"It's ok." The man chuckled as he helped her move away from him. "Are you ok?" He asked her worryingly.

Suddenly, Meredith had the feeling of déjà vu as she looked at the handsome man kneeled in front of them. Meredith nodded smiling foolish. "Are you… are you ok?" She asked him.

The man saw the ugly scratches from her knees. "You should wear the protection equipment." He chuckled and smiled at her.

From the moment they saw Meredith down, Derek hurried up and together with Sandy, he came to check on his wife.

"Are you ok, Meredith? Sir?" Derek asked them.

"I am fine." The man smiled politely at him grateful for his concern but without knowing Derek's identity. "I am doctor so I think I should see your wounds. They are kind of nasty." He said to Meredith.

Meredith smiled embarrassed at Derek when she met his jealous glare.

"I am a doctor too!" Derek burst a little too aggressive than he was supposed to. The man looked at him with a glare, unable to understand Derek's insistence.

"He is my husband." Meredith giggled.

The man looked at her shocked and then at Derek. "Oh…Oh, I am sorry!" He was the embarrassed one now. He stood up and helped Meredith up too.

As Meredith returned on her feet, Derek grabbed her by her waist immediately holding her close into him. "I am sorry, sir!" Derek apologized for Meredith. "My wife has two left legs and apparently she thinks she is smart enough not to wear protection equipment."

"Don't worry!" The man chuckled. "I am fine… she is going to be fine, so… enjoy your evening!" The man said his goodbye and hurried to leave the embarrassing moment.

"Thank you!" Derek looked back after that man as he replied. Then, he looked back at Meredith with a serious look on his face.

"What?" Meredith asked him amused. She knew very well what was going on with him and what was to come next.

"What did you try to do?" Derek smiled and raised an eyebrow suggestively to let her know that he couldn't approve her intentions.

"I tried to win the race." Meredith giggled as she answered very naturally, completely avoiding the main subject.

Derek shook his head and kissed her quickly. "You have to get used with the thought that you can only have me. No more dads for Sandy and Jessie."

Meredith giggled and kissed him. "Ok"

"Mommy?" Something from the recent events caught Sandy's curiosity.

"Yes, Sandy." Meredith looked down at her daughter.

"Mommy, if you will take another daddy, then you can have another baby too?" Sandy asked her.

Meredith burst into laugh to hear that while Derek looked at her terrified. "What… what are you saying? Don't you want me to be your daddy anymore?" He asked her hesitantly, believing for real his own dark thoughts.

Sandy giggled very sweetly as she shook her head. "You are my daddy, daddy and I love you!" She confided and put her arms around his waist for a proving hug.

Derek sighed relieved to be sure of his daughter's love for him. "You know, Sandy, if you want one more baby, then I can take care of that. I can give as many babies as you want."

Sandy gasped very excited as she heard that. "Really?"

"Sure." Derek assured her very confident and proud.

"Yay" Sandy squealed and started jumping up with joy. "Because Jessie is getting big and heavy and I can't carry her anymore." She stated very disappointed of that aspect. She loved her sister. There was no doubt of it, but for her, Jessie was funnier when she was a little baby.

"Aww" Derek found her confession so cute and melted when he heard her.

Meredith on the other hand, she wasn't very happy with their talk. "Can we go home now?" She asked them with a grumpy voice.

Derek winked and kissed her before he teased her with: "We are going home now!" he said. "We have to fix you fast because Sandy wants another baby."

Meredith sniffed at Derek's knowingly smirk and took Jessie from his arms. "In your dreams." She muttered.

Derek smiled and dropped the subject for the moment. They returned to their place on grass and Meredith and Sandy changed into their shoes while Derek put Jessie in stroller.

"Ok…" Derek sighed when everyone got ready to go back home. "We are done with this park, I think!" He said looking ahead as he pushed the stroller.

Meredith giggled at his jealous look and put her arm around his. She kissed his cheek and then she took Sandy's hand. "This is our park! We could never give up on this park." She stated.

Derek smiled brightly at her and kissed her.

**-------------------------**

"Everyone is tucked in its bed." Derek whispered to Meredith as they walked out of Sandy's room and closed the door.

"Finally" Meredith groaned as she checked her watch. It took them time to clean Meredith's wounds, to have dinner and get the children ready for bed.

"Yeah" Derek agreed with her, but he did it dirtier.

"No babies for you." Meredith giggled.

Derek smiled and led her to their bedroom. "No babies for me." He said as he closed the door and leaned against it. His arm had been around Meredith's waist all the way from Sandy's bedroom to theirs, so now he pulled her into him. Pressing her body into his, Derek hugged her and smiled in her eyes. "Babies for Sandy." He added breathing against her lips.

Meredith shook her head. "We can't spoil her."

Derek approached his lips more to hers. "Then, babies for Jessie."

"No babies for Jessie!" Meredith shook her head.

"Mer" Derek whined with begging eyes when he saw that nothing seemed to convince her.

"Derek, if you were man enough, you would have been there with me in the delivery room and you would have seen the hell I went through." Meredith could hardly wait to pay him back for his cowardice in the day that Jessica was born.

"I will be there with this time, I swear. Come on, Meredith! The girls need a boy, someone to take care of them." Derek said with the same begging voice, but with a knowingly smile.

"You want a boy to take care of them, huh?" Meredith shook her head smiling. "You want him to be your ears and eyes." Meredith smiled evil at him. "Never" She stated very decided.

Derek didn't bother to answer. He knew better.

13 months later Scott David Shepherd was born.

-------------------

**OMG! I can't believe I have just finished my first story! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. ****  
****Thank you for your time and lovely comments!****  
****The sequel doesn't have a name yet, but it will be mainly about MerDer and Sandy as grown-up and hopefully I will have the first update ready this weekend. ****  
****Thank you once again for your support on this fic! ****  
****Damn! I think I am going to cry ******** lol**

**Dana**

14


	28. Note from the author

**Hi! The reason I haven't posted the sequel for this fic is that I wasn't sure anymore if my first idea was good enough. In the meantime I came up with another version and I want you to tell me which one would you like me to continue.**

**This first part is for a classical family story. I have some ideas for it and I could make a long storyline. Sandy is now 12 and Derek is trying to deal with Sandy's love life. I might bring some drama at one point but the story will be something nice to read per general.**

_A beautiful evening of summer. A short rain in the afternoon refreshed the air and the entire city. Derek walked along the crowded alleys of the park breathing in as much as possible from what the nature was offering. As always, the cure for an exhausting day at hospital was a walk through that park; his park... his family's park; the one so well known, which many times offered his family unforgettable memories, such as the evening when he met his wife and daughter, or when little Jessie learned to ride the bicycle. Or when Scotty made his first steps on his own; he could even remember the alley with maple trees, one of the most sunniest in the whole park, where he and Meredith had walked the children that afternoon._

_That park was now like their personal garden; an oasis of relaxation._

_As in most of the times, Derek was the last one joining his family in this kind of reunions. He caught the eye of them very soon and sped up his pace to get to them faster. They were now in the children playground and his 4 years old boy was playing in the sandbox with his mommy, while his sister, Jessie was playing with some girls of her age. As he saw them, something felt like not right. Something was missing. One of his daughters was missing, not that this would be something uncommon, because since she became a young lady, Sandy's preferences in spending her free time changed; but it was strange because they had decided together to have a family evening. The contemplations of nature and of moments of his life were over. He needed to know where his daughter was and why was she missing._

_"Daddy!" A girl's happy squeal greeted him and a pair of arms wrapped around his waist._

_Derek flinched and looked behind him. A little girl with golden curls gathered in a ponytail was glued to his back, her big piercing blue eyes smiling up at him. "Hey Jessie!" Derek chuckled charmed by his daughter's greeting and picked her tiny body up in his arms._

_Jessie hung on his neck with both hands and kissed sloppy each cheek of her daddy. "Put me down now." She said smiling at him._

_Derek chuckled. "That was the shortest greeting I have received so far." He complied and put the girl back down on her feet. "Hey sweetie..." Derek retained her taking her hand. "Where's Sandy?"_

_Jessie stared at him smiling for a moment and then her smile became a grin. "In park" She muttered quietly as if she was guilty of something or rather... hiding something._

_Derek shook his head disapproving the complicity between his daughters and let go her hand. "Go play!" He winked at her and watched her re-joining her group of friends for a game with the ball._

_Turning around to the sandbox, Derek met his wife's gaze, watching him smiling but her eyes still showing a reproach. "Mer" Derek chuckled and went over to the edge of the sandbox to meet his wife._

_Meredith stepped out of the sandbox and lifted on tiptoes to reach to his lips. Their arms wrapped around each other's in an instant._

_"Hi" Derek mumbled between kisses. Holding his wife like that was something he could never feel like being enough. Smoothing her hair along the back, Derek held her that into a tight embrace._

_Meredith kissed him one last time on lips and pulled back from his arms. "Hi, Derek" She smiled at him shaking her head. "Please don't become one of those strict rigid fathers."_

_"What do you mean?" Derek frowned, offended. "I am not rigid and I am definitely not a strict father."_

_"Sandy is here too, spending some time... with some friends of hers." Meredith replied._

_"Friends, huh?" Derek raised his eyebrows suspiciously._

_"Yes" Meredith smiled rolling her eyes. "Scotty, come say hi to daddy." She called for her son, who was still adding something to his buildings of sand._

_Scotty stood up grinning at his parents as he brushed his clothes of sand with his hands, also both dirty. Derek chuckled and leaned down to help him clean a little bit and then took him in arms. "Hey Scotty!" Derek pressed a kiss on his son's cheek. "Look at you two!" Derek laughed. "You look like workers on a yard." He laughed mocking paying more attention to Meredith's jeans, dirty of sand._

_"Thanks to your little architect over here." Meredith laughed ruffling Scotty's hair._

_"Really? And what have you built here?" Derek acted interested as he looked down in the sandbox._

_"A hospital and a parking lot." Scotty grinned proudly at his daddy._

_"Oh" Derek chuckled looking curious at sand. There was a mass of sand but he could tell for sure if that was a building or a pyramid, but there was something sculptured that looked indeed like a parking lot. "Scotty, where is Sandy?" Derek asked straight without giving Meredith time to react in time._

_Scotty held out his arm and pointed his fingers towards some trees. "With Robert" He answered as he pointed and looked to their direction._

_"Back to play now." Meredith said fast, taking Scotty from Derek's tensed arms. Scotty jumped back in the sandbox picking up the construction of his buildings._

_Meredith watched careful how Derek's hands rolled in fists and his arms started shaking nervously. Following Derek's glare, Meredith saw Sandy sitting beside a tree, not very far from the place where they were at the moment, together with a boy that looked like being on her age._

_Derek felt his blood boiling through his veins and if Meredith's hands hadn't held him back, he would have ran to them immediately. "Derek, calm down. Don't do anything stupid." Meredith whispered. But Derek was hardly perceiving her words. Everything from the outside world sounded like echoes to him. His daughter ... his beautiful daughter was having her lips glued to a boy's. Derek watched motionless the romantic scene that his daughter and Robert were offering. To run to them and pulled Sandy back from that boy was his first impulse, but Meredith's hands held him tight as she felt him ready to move towards their direction. "Let's sit down." Meredith dragged him towards a bench, not very far from the sandbox. "Come, Derek!" Meredith dragged him harder when his feet refused to leave that spot. Losing his balance, Derek had to comply and followed Meredith to sit down on a bench._

_"You knew about this." Derek muttered nervous looking at Meredith. "How can you allow something like this to happen, Meredith?" He raised his voice a little as the anger started overflowing._

_"Nothing is happening, Derek." Meredith hardly kept her voice calm after Derek's nervous burst. "There's nothing wrong in this. She is just learning about love; kissing a boy is part of this lesson. Besides, they are in a public place so nothing inappropriate will happen."_

_Derek looked back at Sandy, who was her head resting on the boy's shoulder now, while Robert was holding an arm around her shoulders. "This won't stop them to move further when they will be alone somewhere private." He muttered without breaking the dirty gaze he was giving to the young couple._

_"Derek, please be more open-minded to this. You had their age once too." Meredith tried to lighten up his mood a little bit and make him see the cute moment from their daughter's life._

_Derek turned his gaze on Meredith with an obvious reproach in his eyes. "I __did have their age, but at __their age I was having other preoccupations."_

_Meredith wrapped her hands around his arm, leaning against him and kissed him softly on cheek. "You must have been a very cute geek when you were at Sandy's age."_

_"Haha" Derek laughed with sarcasm, but he also brought both arms around her waist holding her closer to him. "What were you doing at Sandy's age?" He asked her._

_Meredith looked up at him with an innocent smile. "You wouldn't want to know." She confessed. In the next second, she felt his arms falling from body and saw his face tensing. "Not that." Meredith laughed, slightly smacking his arm. "I was 16 when I lost my virginity."_

_"Really?" A crooked smile grew on his lips as he heard that._

_"Are you impressed?" Meredith asked him with an eyebrow arched suggestively- kind of smirking at him._

_Derek chuckled and shook his head. "I lost it at 15." He confessed with a smirk._

_Meredith bit her lip to suppress a laughter. "You must feel very proud of yourself."_

_Derek narrowed his eyes offended. "I was a geek so yeah... I should be proud of myself."_

_"I was a geek too so a difference of few months it's not something that you can brag with." Meredith continued teasing him. She wrapped her arms around him again and snuggled in his embrace._

_"But she is only 12, Meredith." Derek kissed the top of her head as he spoke; this time he was calm, but his voice was filled with worry._

_"Derek" Meredith looked up at him, propping her chin on his shoulder as she looked at her daughter. "She is too young to think of ... something more than sex." She muttered._

_"I wasn't kissing at her age." Derek replied, a bit sharper this time. He propped his cheek on her head as his gaze followed Meredith's._

_Meredith giggled quietly. "Of course you weren't. You were a geek. When I had her age, I was teaching a 10 years old one to kiss."_

_Derek pulled back a little to look at her curiously. "I thought you said you lost your virginity when you were 16."_

_"I did." Meredith grinned at him. "But at the age of 12 I was already an expert in kissing."_

_"What's that vir...virjinity." Scotty asked them, stammering and misspelling the word he had overheard at his parents._

_Meredith hid her face in Derek's shoulder and muffled a laugh, while Derek stared curious at his son checking if he was really waiting for an answered. "Not funny" Derek hissed at Meredith when he met his son's curious eyes. "Something to eat." Derek gave him the fastest answer he could come up with and shoved his wife, who was now laughing hysterical in his arms. "Not funny, Meredith."_

_"Seriously?" Meredith laughed looking up at him. She shook her head amazed by Derek's subtle answer._

_"Is it good?" Scotty asked with the same interest as earlier._

_Derek stared at him stunned while Meredith burst again in laugh. "No" Derek answered dryly, already not judging on what he was saying._

_Scotty continued to stare at his parents for a few more moments and then shrugged satisfied with what he had received for answer. He stood up and started kicking in what he had built in sand._

_"Why are you doing that?" Derek asked him._

_Scotty glanced at them showing a familiar smile and shrugged. "I'm bored." He shook off some of the extra sand from his clothes and left the sandbox to go to his parents._

_Derek was the one who received him trying to clean up more his clothes, shaking even his dark curls. Scotty thanked to him with his precious smile and then made himself room on bench between his parents. Derek helped him climb up the bench and the boy put his head down on his mother's lap._

_"Are you sleepy already?" Meredith asked him leaning over him to look at his face. Scotty grinned at her and shook his head._

_"Can we go see the lake?" He asked her._

_"Sure." Meredith answered smiling._

_"Once we retrieve one of your sisters from someone's arms." Derek grumbled to himself while he looked back to the place where he knew his daughter was. But as he did that, the panic washed over his face and made him jump on his feet. "Where is she?" He asked alarmed scanning the whole area with his eyes._

_"Who? Sandy?" Meredith asked curious following Derek's line of vision._

_"Hey dad." Sandy's voice made them startle and looked behind the bench where Sandy was standing smiling sheepishly at father, already suspecting that he had seen her with Robert. As always, to make sure that her father wouldn't get too mad of her, she surrounded the bench and came to give him one of her best hugs. "How was at work?" She asked him as she was hugging his waist tighter._

_Derek smiled discreetly at Meredith and shook his head. He leaned down to her and kissed the top of her head. "Work was fine." He replied smiling down at her. He put a finger under her chin and made her look up at him. "How was your day?" He asked her, sounding casually, though his question was looking for a certain answer._

_Sandy knew what he wanted to hear from her, but shrugged and answered nonchalant. "It was great." She threw a long stray of hair back behind the shoulder and sprang beside her mother. She knew that if her father would start that certain subject her mother would be her support._

_Sandy wrapped her arms around Meredith's and leaned against her side. "Are we going to see Cristina tonight?" She asked with a subtle interest, looking up at her mother._

_Derek was confused and couldn't understand why did Sandy look so interested about a possible visit over Cristina's house. Sandy had never been thrilled with the idea of visiting Cristina and her son, Harold._

_Meredith, on the other hand, knew exactly why Sandy was asking her that. Unfortunately for Sandy, Meredith shook her head as answer. "She has to work tonight."_

**The next one was actually my first idea for the sequel. This one would be a short one, more drama and mostly about Sandy, so you wouldn't read too much MerDer if you want me to continue with this version.**

_Her SUV rolled fast along the highway at a late hour in the afternoon. The sun looked like a big fire ball in front of her, so she could call it evening already_

_At the age of 25 she was driving her SUV, present from her parents at her last birthday, but she was also driving her own life. Her life took the path she wanted. Now she was in her first year of residency at one of the best hospitals in Washington, in the field she loved the most: Pediatrics. She chose to stay a doctor and not follow her parents' steps and become a surgeon. She was not a hardcore she justified her choice and the children were making her job so much easier._

_Her parents were beyond proud of her. She felt their support in every decision she took and she always paid them back with good grades, gratitude and love. Now her Royce rolled towards her parents' house. It was her mother's birthday party and she was running late already. Her father particularly asked his children to get home early in the afternoon to spend some time together in family before all their friends' arrival so now her mind was baking a good excuse. "I am a doctor." She muttered in words her thoughts. "They know what being a doctor means. Ok, Sandy… relax… take a deep breath… they won't shoot you." She encouraged herself. "Your dad might do it though. Argh … stupid moron!" Sandy cursed nervous between teeth her as she remembered new ex boyfriend. He was the reason for her delay at her mother's birthday._

_She heard her mobile phone ringing in the bag she had thrown on the passenger seat. Sandy fumbled with one hand in it without taking her eyes from road. After many rings and nervous mumbles, she found it. "Chris" Sandy sighed and rolled her eyes as she flipped it open. "What do you want now?" She did give him any chance to say something and snapped at him._

_"Sandra, sweetheart…" Chris's pleading tone was immediately cut off by Sandy's harsh tone._

_"Sweet my Ass you bastard! You don't have the right to call me sweet me in any way. Go and sweet the whore I caught you on top of!" She shouted nervous in speaker._

_"Sandra, please babe… I told you it was an accident. I just didn't know… please baby come back and talk to me!"_

_"An accident would have been if she had run with her car over you… just go and fuck your whores and forget my number and address." With that, Sandy shut the phone and used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. "An accident." She muttered nervous._

_After she took a few deep breaths and calmed down a little, Sandy opened her phone again and dialed a number._

_"Where are you, Sandy?" Her father's reproachful voice greeted her at the other side of the line._

_Sandy tried to hide her depression and nervousness, so she breathed deep before answering. "Hey dad! I am so sorry. I'm on my way."_

_"Sandy" Her father's voice melted "I thought we had a plan for today."_

_"I know and I am so sorry, dad! I had a… hectic day at work; with the flu and everything." She tried to justify herself. Her parents weren't Chris's biggest fans so she didn't want them to know her hurt by him. "Is mom upset?" She asked him fearfully._

_"You know your mother, Sandy. She doesn't show it, but I can tell that she is a little disappointed." Derek answered. "Only Scott was here."_

_"Only Scott?" Sandy burst nervous. "Where the heck is Jessie?"_

_"She is with Cassie and Ana."_

_"Of course… where else!" Sandy exclaimed with irritation. "Don't worry dad, I am going to kill her once I found her."_

_"I am going to kill you both if you don't show up here soon." Derek warned her with a serious tone._

_"I'll get there in about 30 minutes. Kiss mom and tell her I am sorry." Sandy pleaded him._

_"Drive safe, sweetie." With her father's advice, the line went dad and Sandy closed her phone. "Damn." She cursed between teeth and threw the mobile phone back in the bag._

_She needed to calm down and block out of her hand everything that went bad in her day. Sandy pushed the play button of her stereo and her favorite band started playing. She giggled pleasantly surprised to listen to her favorite song first and started singing along with the song._

_It worked. She was finally telling goodbye to Chris. Then she felt her car jumping off the road and losing its control. She pressed the break paddle and the wheels squealed deafeningly._

**There's a poll on my profile for you to vote. Thank you!**

**Dana**


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